KAKANIN

Kakanin is an all time favorite sweet Filipino delicacies whose main ingredient is either made of flour or ground  rice like puto, glutinous rice like bico and palitaw and sapin-sapin or grated root crops like grated cassava (pichi-pichi, cassava cake) and ube tubers (ube haleya) . Kakanin is eaten as snacks or merienda as it is usually served in between meals paired with favorite palamig, cofee, tsokolate (local version of chocolate drink made from tablea) and salabat (ginger ale). Kakanin is either cooked steamed, baked or boiled.

PUTO- can be made using all purpose flour, rice flour or the classic ground rice soaked in water. The use of  all purpose flour can yield a very soft puto with a fine texture. It can be topped with slices of cheddar cheese and sliced salted eggs, shredded or grated cheese, filled with ground pork asado, and can be mixed with a variety of ingredients for more color, flavor and texture. The idea is endless...let's start with plain puto. Ready, get set, go......

EQUIPMENTS:

• Steamer
• Mixing bowl
• Strainer
• Muffin pans or plastic puto moulders
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or wire whisk

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk or coconut milk
• 1 cup water

PROCEDURE:

• Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
• Add the sugar, milk, water. Mix well making sure there are no lumps.
• Fill puto molds or muffin pans 3/4 full.
• Place in a preheated steamer and cook for 15 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch or insert a toothpick into the center, the puto is done when the toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from steamer and let cool thoroughly and unmold.

FOR VARIATION:

• Add slices of cheddar cheese, sliced salted eggs or top each puto with both sliced cheddar cheese and salted eggs before the puto halfway during cooking.
• Top each puto with fresh grated coconut.
• For added flavor and color you may opt to add one teaspoon ground anise to the main ingredient or whatever flavoring you wish and a drop of food coloring of your choice. (example: a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a tint of yellow food color to make puto vanilla, a teaspoon of pandan flavoring and a drop of green foof color to make puto pandan , a teaspoon of ube flavoring and a drop of violet food coloring to make puto ube.
• You may also opt to add chocolate chips or melted chocolate to your puto batter before cooking for those who love chocolate
• You may opt to top the puto with shredded or grated cheese.
• You may opt to replace 1/4 cup of milk with 1/4 cup of melted butter for a creamier and tastier puto.

The bottom line is don't be afraid to experiment and don't forget to share with me your results. Happy eating.