Food Trip Friday: Bilo-Bilo

It is almost weekend once again, time for Food Trip Friday created by Willa. And here is my entry for this week's FTF. I made a Filipino delicacy called Bilo bilo.

Ginataan is a name shared by various desserts; for example, a soup made with coconut milk, tubers, tapioca pearls, and sago.^[1] This soup is also called "tinunuan" in Cebuano, "alpahor"Chavacano, "ginettaán" in Ilokano, and "ginat-an" in Hiligaynon. If gummy balls made of pounded glutinous rice are added, it becomes a dish called bilo-bilo. Ginataang mais is another example of a dessert soup; a warm, sweet, thick gruel made with coconut milk, sweet corn and glutinous rice.

The meat of a mature coconut is grated and the "thick" milk is extracted. Two cups of water are added to the grated coconut and a second extraction is made. This becomes the "thin" milk. This "thin" coconut milk extract is added to cubed kamote (sweet potato), gabi (taro) and ube purple yam), sliced ripe sabá (plantain) and langka (jack fruit), and tapioca pearls. Sometimes, young coconut meat strips are also added. The mixture is brought to a boil; being stirred occasionally until done. Just before removal from the flame, the "thick" coconut milk is added.

Ginataan may be eaten hot (during the cold, rainy season) or cold, but it is best served chilled. Some Filipinos even serve it frozen, eating the dessert much like ice cream.