Good Day my friends, today, let me share this to you my family’s another delicacy – the Budbud Pilit. Budbud Pilit is a Visayan dessert made from glutinous rice wrapped in a pliant banana leaf. It is called budbud since it is a food wrapped in a leaf rolled elongatedly and *Pilit *(means sticky) since it is made of a glutinous rice.
Well my friends, yesterday is a holiday here in Philippines in memory and respect of the crucifixion of Jesus. As per continuing custom of my family, my mom is cooking various delicacies to be given and shared for us her children and if abundant we also share to our neighbors. Delicacies like Benignit, Doydoy, puto, bibingka, salbaro and budbud. This is the time when eating meat is prohibited in honor and respect of Jesus’ blood on His journey to the cross. Even taking a bath or any sort of washing with water is prohibited for such day till sunset because it indicates as a support for Roman Governor Pontius Pilate.
*Budbud *does not spoil easily. It takes 3 days if not refrigerated and may last long if refrigerated. Budbud is our substitute for meals along with the other delicacies. It is very good for picnics too. It is quite hassle to prepare but of course there is a short cut hehe! But today I’ll explain to you the old and most delicious way in order to have a best, not oily nor sticky finish product of budbud.
Steps:
Prepare the ingredients in this proportion:
1 kg humay pilit (glutinous rice), 1/2 kg white sugar, 1 head of ginger, ¼ tsp. of salt, coconut milk.
The measurement of coconut milk depends on how many cups the rice reaches plus an extra ½ cup.Prepare the banana leaves and pass them over flames till they are pliable. Cut them in rectangles in just about 6 inches wide. Make at least 50 pieces.
Pour coconut milk on a wide-open pan and let it boil. Pour the sugar, salt and ginger after. The use of ginger is to remove the fagged and enhance the aroma of the food. Stir till dissolved. Cook in medium heat. I suggest, utilize wood as fire and not gas for the best aroma.
Rinse and drain the rice then add it up to the boiling coconut milk.
Stir in the glutinous rice until all liquids are consumed in or drained out by the heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool down a bit.
Wipe the rectangular leaves side by side with the left coconut meat in order to remove the dusts due from passing it over the flames lately.
Of the just warm rice, we can start making the budbud. Scoop 1 tablespoon into the leaf and roll it to make an elongated shape. Fold both excess ends to seal out (As shown in the image).
Proportionally, 1 kilo of Humay Pilit can accumulate at most 50 pieces of budbud or so I say 50 scoops of heaping tablespoons of rooked rice.
- To finally cook the budbud, Put extra rectangular leaves in the bottom of a pot. This is to avoid having burnt budbud afterwards. Arrange the budbud inside. Pour ¼ liter water and cook for about 30 minutes in high heat. So much water can remove the sweetness and could only spread out the stickiness and oily content of the coconut.
Serve well.
I guarantee you the result is very delicious, original, has very good aroma of pure native ingredients.
A cup of milk or cocoa is best pair for this.
Now, there is a quick way to have you own budbud. Just neglect the banana leaves. Just do the steps 1, 3, 4, and 5 but do not remove it from heat. Have it cook continuously by low heat for about 20 minutes. Then presto, you have your unwrapped budbud.
I do this sometimes when I miss eating budbud but I’m absent of banana leaves.
Men should have the knowledge of cooking and baking because it is one way to pursue a woman, to impress them and it adds charm too.
See you my friend to our next delicacy.
