Foodie Goodie | Ginataang Bilo-Bilo (Sticky Rice Balls in Coconut Milk).

Whenever my Mom Squad (aka my mommy friends at my son's school) and I are not busy doing house chores or working on our kids' academic requirements, we're either shopping at the nearest mall or eating at some restaurant or coffee shop. And since we love to eat, we also love to cook!

Yesterday, while waiting for the kids' afternoon classes to finish, we made Ginataang Bilo-bilo (otherwise known as Sticky Rice Balls in Coconut Milk), because we've been craving for it for the longest time. Sure, we could have just saved by time and effort by buying cooked bilo-bilo at the food stalls in the public market, but that takes the fun out of rolling your own rice balls! It's a fun activity, apparently, especially when you're doing it with friends. It's like being a kid and playing with Play-Doh all over again, haha!

Ginataang Bilo-bilo

Ingredients:
2 cups glutinous rice flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
3/4 cup warm water
6 cups coconut milk (gata)
1 cup sugar
1 cup ripe jackfruit (langka), shredded
3 cups sweet potato (kamote), cubed
1 cup taro root (gabi), cubed
1 1/2 cup plantain (saba), sliced
2 cups mini tapioca (sago), cooked
1 1/2 cup coconut cream
1 pandan leaf (optional)

Procedure:
1. Make the glutinous rice balls: Combine glutinous rice flour and rice flour. Add warm water and knead to form a dough. Take ½ tablespoon dough and roll in your palms to form a ball. Place on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Set aside.

Bilo-bilo (sticky rice balls).

2. Boil 3 cups water, coconut milk, sugar, pandan leaf, and jackfruit in a pot over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Jackfruit (langka).

3. Add sweet potatoes, taro, purple yam, and saba. Simmer until tender. Add glutinous rice balls and tapioca pearls. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.

Sweet potatoes (kamote) and taro root (gabi).

Plantain (saba).

4. Add coconut cream and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Project Bilo-bilo is complete!

This snack is actually quite versatile as you can also serve it cold, straight from the fridge. :)