Special Puto ( Rice Cakes )

        Great day to y'all ! I haven't been posting my recipes of late as I was ' forced ' to DIY my college student's uniforms as all the tailors and dressmakers in the area have begged off. I'm thinking of posting that project under DIY but then, the pants materials is dark colored, I'm not sure if my camera can do justice to my project.

         I have finished one pair of pants last night, and will be working on the second one today, hopefully finish it, and then work on my daughter's skirts. Good thing the sewing guru in Youtube is very helpful with his tutorials. I wouldn't know what to do if it weren't for his tutorials.

        Today, we're making Puto or Rice Cakes. 10  or 15 years ago, special tiny colored puto cheese came out in the market and it was an instant hit. Every single colorful morsel was just the right bite-size, and so people started consuming trays upon trays of Puto Cheese.

        The great thing about this recipe is that, it is the exact recipe for Puto Cheese. To change it up a bit, one may use sliced Red Eggs on top in lieu of cheese. I did not put cheese on top of these so I'm not calling these Puto Cheese this time.

Special Puto

        Puto is a lightweight, fluffy, steamed rice cake made from flour and coconut milk. For ease of preparation, milk may be used without affecting the taste. Puto  always appears on our KAKANIN spreads alongside KUTCHINTA.

        When we say KAKANIN;  that almost means a dessert table, but then again showcasing only native delicacies, which doubles as breakfast and snack fare. Unlike desserts which normally is eaten after a full meal, KAKANINs hold their own, and are offered even in Hotels and restaurants and tourists, as a taste of Philippine Culture on a plate. On some occasions, festivals are held and KAKANIN's take centerstage. I remember attending a sunrise wedding some 20 years ago where the couple served different varieties of KAKANIN along with Kapeng Barako  ( Strong, native coffee ) and Native Hot Chocolate or SIKWATE.

        It's Summer in the West, so why not make some to take to pool and beach parties or make some for the kid's snacks? I promise that one bite won't be enough, and you will find yourself making these again and again.

Let's make Puto!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups All Purpose Flour
4 tsps. baking powder
1 cup sugar, white
2 cups coconut milk or fresh milk
slices of cheese or salted eggs ( optional )

PROCEDURE:

1. Grease the smallest muffin tins you can find. Or plastic or metal Puto molds, if you have them. Set aside. 

2. Blend together the first four ingredients. Divide into four bowls and tint with different pastel food colors. Pour into molds, almost to the top.

Tinting with pastel colors

and placing them in molds

3. This is optional : put a sliver of cheese on top of each for puto cheese. Or 2 thin slices of red eggs for exotic taste. Plain is perfectly acceptable.

Steaming them halfway 

4. Steam covered for 15-20 minutes. Slide off the molds and arrange on a plate and serve.

NOTE: If you can find the 1 inch puto molds, those are perfect for making hundreds of pastel colored puto for children's parties and other events. They look pretty and are equally tasty treats. These are healthier versions than muffins or cupcakes. I'm sure the elderly and the very young kids will enjoy this as well. 

I have given the variations above, for Puto Cheese and Puto with Red Eggs. These are Google pics of those:

Commercially available Puto Cheese

Brightly colored Puto Cheese

Puto with Red Eggs closeup

Puto with Red eggs

Once more, thanks for visiting and do let me know if you have made these.  My readers usually leave their comments on Facebook. I think they're as shy as I am. But your feedback gives me encouragement, so thank you, again!