#60 Philippines' Puto Maya

For breakfast or meryenda (snacks), Puto Maya is always a hit in the Philippines. We Filipinos obviously love our rice very much. :)  You will be blown away by the many ways Filipino people cook rice, and the many varieties of rice that are available in our palengkes (markets). I hope I can cover several through the course of my 365-day adventure. Puto Maya is dear to my heart, because it is my Mama's favorite. This dish uses glutinous rice, a sweet and sticky rice variety shown below and cooked with fresh ginger, coconut milk and sugar. Very interesting blend of flavors. We eat it as an accompaniment to our native brewed coffee, or sikwati (hot chocolate). So good!

Puto Maya

Ingredients:

2 cups glutinous rice (sweet, sticky rice)

4 cups coconut milk

3-1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar (or less, according to your taste)

4" piece of fresh ginger, peeled, and cut into 3/4" chunks

Directions:

1.  Rinse rice and place in a 2-qt pot.
2. Add coconut milk, cover and let it come to a boil. When boiling, add the rest of the ingredients. Stir.
3. Turn heat to a lower setting and let mixture simmer for about 15 minutes or until rice is done. (It will be sticky!)
4. When done, scoop out rice, discard the ginger root. Top with fruit or powdered sugar if desired.

We learned that glutinous rice is grown in Southeast and East Asia. It has been grown in China for atleast 2,000 years. Legends say that this sweet sticky rice was used to make the mortars in the construction of the Great Walls of China. Many years later, it was confirmed true for the city walls of Xian by chemical tests. In Assam, which is a Northern State of India, during Ahom's rule, this rice was also used to build palaces. Amazing. :)

  Puto Maya and Coffee or Sikwati = Happy Mornings.

Recipe adapted from Marisa De Los Santos, featured on www.thesecretingredientblog.com