Biko Recipe (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake) - Foxy Folksy (2024)

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What is biko in English? ›

Biko (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake)

In Filipino, these rice-based desserts are also known as kakanin, which means "prepared rice." It is derived from the word kanin which is the Filipino word for rice. Rice cakes were also formerly known by the general term tinapay ( lit.

This rice cake is a sweet dessert made with glutinous rice flour (also called sweet rice flour) and red bean paste. The recipe was given to me by my Chinese sister-in-law. It has a firm custard-like texture, which is different for many Western palates and is a favorite of my family.

A mainstay at town fiestas, weddings, and funerals, biko is what usually comes to mind when you hear the word “kakanin.” These rice cakes are made with malagkit rice and coconut milk, with a dark brown topping.

Definition for the Tagalog word biko:

biko. [noun] a type of Filipino rice cake / dessert.

Meaning of rice cake in English

a round sweet food made from rice, especially in South Asian cooking: The show-stealer is the dessert called kuih, sticky rice cakes flavored with leaves from a tropical tree.

Bibingka: Bibingka is a classic Filipino rice cake made from ground glutinous rice and coconut milk. It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot lined with banana leaves and topped with salted eggs, cheese, and coconut shreds. Puto: Puto is a steamed rice cake that is a popular snack or dessert in the Philippines.

Rice cakes offer very little nutritional value and are low in calories, fiber, and protein. Consuming rice cakes with an additional source of protein and fiber can balance out the increased blood sugar they may cause.

Some brands add sugar or corn syrup to their rice cakes. Most rice cakes do contain added salt. Individuals at risk for heart disease should reduce their intake of sodium and limit the intake of rice cakes. They are not nutrient-dense foods and are not considered a healthy replacement.

Made with sticky rice, fully cooked banh chung hardens in the fridge and freezer (you can freeze them for 12 months!). Regardless of how you keep the sticky rice cake, you should refresh them to allow them to be the best they can be.

Why are my rice cakes so sticky? ›

Knead the rice cake dough with your hands for about 5 minutes until it looks and feels smooth. The dough will be very sticky if it is still warm. If that happens, you can cover the dough with plastic food wrap, and keep it in the fridge for 1 hour until it's completely cooled down.

It is the excess release of starch during steaming that sticky rice gets that glue-like texture to them. Sticky rice health benefits include increased bone density, decreased inflammation, improved heart health, etc. The Japanese sticky rice is believed to boost metabolism as well.

Try using another short-grain rice or risotto rice. Both will have a stickier texture once cooked (compared to medium and long-grained rice). Short-grain rice is stickier than other types of rice once cooked because it has more starch in it.

Soak the rice in a container that holds at least twice the volume of rice: Cover the rice with 2 to 3 inches of room-temperature water and soak for 6 to 24 hours. If you need to shorten the soaking time, soak the rice in warm (about 100 degree) water for 2 hours.

Also known as “sweet rice” or glutinous rice (though it's gluten free), sticky rice is a large white grain that becomes translucent, shiny and extremely sticky when steamed. Sticky rice is a staple in Laos, where it is especially beloved, but it has ardent fans throughout Asia.

What is the difference between bibingkang malagkit and biko? Both these Filipino kakanin are made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and sugar. However, bibingkang malagkit is traditionally topped and baked with a sweetened coconut caramel while biko is garnished with latik or golden coconut curds.

Suman is to the Ilonggos as what biko is to Tagalogs and other places. So don't be surprised if you're given this malagkit rice specialty instead of the one wrapped in coconut leaves which is commonly called ibos in this part of the country. Here's a simple recipe for Suman or Biko.

The term biko traces its origins to the Chinese influence on Philippine cuisine, originating from the Hokkien words bi (rice) and ko (cake). It is one of the more popular Filipino kakanins or "rice cakes" and perhaps the easiest to cook. Traditionally, it is cooked in large woks over a low fire.