Puto

A wet rice batter and hot steam, and why the steamer lid has to be wrapped in a cloth.

Not vegetarian — contains cheddar whose rennet the source does not name.

Ingredients

• 300 g rice flour
• 150 g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 100 ml water
• 100 g firm cheddar, in thin squares

Method

1. PUTO IS STEAMED, and that matters because two other things on this site called puto are not. Puto seco is a baked biscuit; this is a wet batter and hot steam.
2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then the coconut milk and water, to a batter the thickness of single cream. Rest it 15 minutes.
3. Grease small moulds and fill them two thirds full.
4. WRAP THE STEAMER LID IN A CLOTH. Condensation dripping off a bare lid pocks the tops and makes them dense in patches, and nothing else prevents it.
5. Steam over a rolling boil for 12 minutes.
6. Lay a square of cheese on each and steam 3 minutes more, just to soften it. Added at the start it sinks and sticks to the mould.
7. Cool 5 minutes before turning out, or they tear.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Philippines · All recipes