I scooped a generous portion of the bubbly stew of coconut milk and gently ladled it into a small serving bowl. I made sure the round globules of gummy rice balls and strips of fragrant langka (jackfruit) slid into the soupymerienda(afternoon snack) as well. The sweet coconut milk blended well with the fruity flavors of langka and simple heartiness of the rice balls.
I had just made Ginataang Bilo-Bilo, or round glutinous rice balls cooked in coconut milk for the first day of the year. It was a Filipino New Year’s tradition which I remember from childhood. My late mom and the elder relatives in the Philippines always insisted we ate “something round” to start off the year. The round shapes resembled coins, thus symbolizing money and prosperity.
There is a fine line between tradition and superstition. But ultimately, no one wants to turn away the promise of prosperity. So whether it’s a tradition or superstition, most Filipinos like to make “bilo-bilo” for the New Year. Conveniently, I had rice flour to make the rice balls. Plus I had cans of coconut milk and the jackfruit in my Filipino pantry here in my American kitchen.
Bilo-bilo comes from the root word “bilog” (a Tagalog word which translates to ‘round’). The word ‘ginataan’comes from the word ‘gata’which is coconut milk. So ‘ginataan’ (say “gee-nah-tah-anh”) means ‘made of coconut’. In the Philippines, there are many desserts, snacks and main dishes cooked with coconut, so you will find the word “ginataan” used in many recipes and cookbooks.
This is a snack or dessert that goes beyond the New Year’s. ‘Bilo-bilo’ can be served as a snack after school or after coming home from work. It can be served cold or warm. We like it served warm, the sweet coconut broth cascading down from each yummy gummy rice ‘bilo-bilo’. Sometimes, I add a cup or two of cooked tiny tapioca balls or “sago” as we call them. This afternoon, for the first day of the year, I did not have the tapioca or sago balls available, so I promised my family the tiny translucent sago would be in it next time.
Nothing spells sheer comfort like a bowl of warm, thick, rich ginataang bilo-bilo. The glistening snowy white creamy coconut milk clings to the rice balls and together with the fruity langka strips, the entire experience is simply scrumptious.
Ingredients
rice flour (Mochiko brand)- 1 cup, to make 20 rice balls or bilo-bilo
water - 1/2 cup, to make bilo-bilo or rice balls
jackfruit or langka (canned)- 2 cups sliced in strips, drain syrup
coconut milk - 2 cups
water - 1 cup, to add to coconut milk
granulated sugar - 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup, to add to coconut milk
cooked tapioca balls or sago - 1 cup (bottled), from Asian markets
Instructions
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the rice flour and water. Slowly mix the flour and water till the flour becomes less powdery and starts to get thick and solid. Using your hands, shape the rice flour mixture into one-inch sized balls. Put them in a dry, large plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour for the rice balls to firm up.
