Holiday Treat: Puto Bumbong

Image by bingbing

Can't find some good treats for the holidays (or vacation)? Try out this classic Puto Bumbong recipe, traditionally made for the Christmas season in the Philippines. It's essentially lilac-colored "glutenous" rice covered in butter, sprinkled with coconut, and wrapped in a banana leaf...drool.  The festive purple, yellow, and green colors intermix into a bright festive dessert.

What does it have to do with the celebration of Christmas in the Philippines? Christmasjoy.net brings up a couple of points: 

The origin of puto bumbong is not known but evidently dates back to the early Spanish era. It was believed to have been brought over from Mexico by Legazpi and Urdaneta. Some trace it to the pastoral times when fishermen kept vigil and then proceeded to church at dawn to hear Mass. After the dawn Mass, they would relieve their hunger and weariness with puto bumbong and salabat (ginger tea).

Others attribute it to the harvest season when farmers would attend Mass and offer their thanksgiving for abundant grain.

Despite the stories, the facts remain the same: "Puto" means glutenous rice and bumbong means "bamboo cannon."  Make your very own "glutenous rice bamboo cannon" following these simple directions and some oddly-shaped ice tray that you can easily find at the local Ikea:

Puto Bumbong
1 cups black glutinous rice
½ cups white glutinous rice
½ cups regular rice
Water
Banana leaves
Butter
Shredded fresh coconut
Sugar
Ikea Long Slot Ice Tray

(From I can do that!)
Mix rice with water to cover top 1 inch, set aside for 2 hours.  Grind in blender until smooth. Pour the mixture on a large piece of muslin, twist the cloth and tie with kitchen twine, place on a large sieve.  Put the sieve on top of a big bowl, weight down with a sauce pan filled with water, and leave 4 hours or overnight. The next day, crumble the damp rice paste and fill well-oiled molds (the middle one) loosely. Steam in boiling water for 12 minutes. Remove with a plastic chopstick onto banana leaves. Spread butter all over and serve with coconut and plenty of sugar.

No matter if you're celebrating Christmas or are enjoying a break from school or work, try out this receipe this weekend and cannon that steamed rice!

Puto Bumbong [I can do that!]