Sticky Rice Cake (Bibingkang Malagkit)

Manang Jacinta, our cook, used to bring out trays of bibingkang malagkit or biko every other week for merienda back when I was but a wee toddler. This rice cake was a particular favorite of mine, so much so that a substantial portion of my long-term memory has been reserved for this sweet. I remember my excitement whenever it was ‘The Week’ that they were being served. How its rich scent filled the air! And how very like jewels the shiny, immaculate squares carefully dusted with latik at the very center. Today (many years after my fortunate acquaintance with pot and stove), I am able to enjoy this snack miles and miles away from home, thanks to bibingkang malagkit’s widely available and inexpensive ingredients. As a bonus, it’s pretty quick and easy to make, too.



Bibingkang Malagkit

2 c. Glutinous rice, soaked overnight
3 c. Coconut milk
½ c. Sugar
½ t. Salt
1 pc. Pandan leaf, washed and tied into a tidy bundle (optional)

Coco Jam Topping:
1 c. Coconut Cream
1 c. Sugar

Drain the soaked rice and place in a pot with the coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandan leaf. Mix everything together until the sugar has dissolved. Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat. Stir every once in a while to prevent the bottom from toasting into a crust. After all the coconut milk has been absorbed after approximately 25 minutes, take the pot off the heat and let it sit, covered, for a further 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked rice into a pan big enough for the rice to spread out to about 1.5 inches thick. Leave it to cool at room temperature, preferably overnight, to set it properly, before cutting into squares.

This can be served as is, with mango slices, latik, or coco jam.

To make the coco jam, heat half of the coconut cream until it turns to oil. Add the sugar into the oil and allow it to caramelize. When the sugar is nicely brown and melted, add the rest of the coconut cream. Stir well until smooth and thick like toffee. Pour the jam on the rice cake. Let the topping cool and set before cutting the rice cake into serving portions.

* Latik is the solid left after heating coconut milk into oil. The product is best described as fragrant brown bits that can be both crunchy and chewy. The bits have a toasted coconut-y tatse.