Food Trip: Puto Bao

The first time I encountered and tasted this food was in Lucena City during the Niyogyugan Festival 2016. Puto Bao or Puto sa Bao was the featured product of the towns of Unisan and Agdangan during the said celebration.

At first glance, one would think that these purple delicacies are made from ube or yam, but it is actually made from the same ingredients that is used to make suman and puto bibingka which is glutinous rice or malagkit rice.

Surprise!

All packed and ready to be consumed!

Nom nom nom!

The real surprise however, lies not on its purple colored exterior but what's actually inside it. The Puto Bao has a filling of shredded coconut that gives it its sweet taste. Puto Bao is best eaten right after it is taken out of the steamer. (Don't worry it would still taste good after several hours out of the steamer though).

Ingredients:

Here's how it looks like

• malagkit (glutinous) rice mixed with ordinary rice
• shredded coconut (mature)
• purple food coloring
• banana leaves
• brown sugar
• salt
• water
• cooking oil

How to make Puto Bao:

Steamy

1. Soak the rice mixture with the purple food coloring into the salted water for an hour.
2. Remove it from the water and let it dry overnight (best put it inside a flour sack then put heavy objects on top of it.)
3. The following morning, fry the shredded coconut with the brown sugar until it turns brownish
4. Place the cooked shredded coconut in the middle of the purple rice before shaping it into a dome. (Some uses the bao or coconut shell to form the shape of the puto bao)
5. Place it on top of a square cut banana leaf before putting it inside a steamer.
6. Steam for about 15-20 minutes.
7. Enjoy!