BIKO

BIKO - - also called sinukmani is a traditional Filipino snack food made from glutinous rice,coconut milk and brown sugar or panocha. I have very fond memories of my Lola Beatriz' sinukmani and bihongke (sotanghon soup), traditional food in our large family gathering during Undras (All Saints Day).

As far back as 4,000 years ago, the ancient Indonesian-Filipinos were already cooking this snack food with latik topping which they called 'wajik', from the Indonesian languange. The ancient Filipino meals at that time consisted of rice, fish, fruits, vegetables,bananas, yams, coconut and sugar cane.

Then the Indian influences reached our islands from the 10th thru the early 14th century. We were introduced to Sanskrit words, literature and culture. The word 'biko' was an ancient Sanskrit word that referred to an Indian sweetened steamed rice cooked in coconut milk and sugar cane. 

In fact, the recipe of wajik was inherited by the Indonesians from the Indians several milleniums back when they conquered the Indonesian archipelago. So the name 'biko' and the original recipe actually both came from India.

Here is my recipe of biko: 

Ingredients:

2 c malagkit (glutinous) rice

1 c very thick coconut milk

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 c very thick coconut milk (for making latik)

banana leaves

Procedure:

1. Cook malagkit rice. Set aside

2. In a large pan, boil the thick coconut milk and sugar. Add the cooked rice little by little, while mixing well. Remove from heat.

3. Spread wilted banana leaves on a bilao or tray. Put rice mixture.Spread evenly. Serve with latik on top.

4. To make latik, boil thick coconut milk until oil separates and the cream turns into brown, fragrant and crispy latik.

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VEGETABLE CURRY

Curry refers to a spicy dish of vegetables or meat, chicken or fish served with rice. There are different types of curry depending on the region of Asia or India.

Curry originated in India, and had been part of Indian cooking for thousands of years.The word ‘curry’ originated from the Tamil word ‘kari’ meaning spiced sauce. Tamil is South India’s most ancient living language. The word is derived from Sanskrit. 

A typical curry mixture is made of roasted and ground curry leaf, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, black pepper, fenugreek, turmeric and sometimes cinnamon, cloves and cardamon.

Curry dishes from the south west region of Kerala, India on the Malabar coast, use coconut milk and laurel (bay leaves). This type of curry recipe was the one that had been popular with us Filipinos. And this is the one I'm cooking here now.

Kerala was part of the ancient wealthy and powerful Sri Vijaya empire, controlling much of the Indonesian archipelago and Malay Peninsula. By the 12th century the empire extended to as far as the Philippines. And that is how our early Indian ancestors had greatly influenced the many cultures of the Philippines including cooking of curry dishes.

In Asia and the tropics, wether mild or fiery hot, any curried dish is always exotic and tasty.

Ingredients:

2 c potatoes (cubed)

1 c carrots (cubed)

1 c cauliflower (cut in flowerettes) 

1 c green beans (chopped)

2 c eggplant (cubed)

2 pcs tokwa ot 1 block tofu

(cubed, fried)

2 c thin coconut milk

1 c thick coconut milk

2 Tbsp leeks or spring onions

2 Tbsp curry powder

salt, pepper

Procedure:

1. Saute leeks or spring onions in oil. Add potatoes, carrots, thin coconut milk and salt. Cover and cook.

2. When haf-done, add cauliflower and eggplant. Simmer. Add green beans, thick coconut milk, curry powder and pepper. Cover and cook until flavors blend. Remove from. Serve.

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