#16_ Black Rice Bibingka (Pirurutong)

Black Rice Bibingka

This Bibingka has a a beautiful deep purple-ish black color
with nutty flavor and is cooked like Biko.

I first tasted it about two years ago when a lady brought some to a gathering we had. I liked it so much that I followed her around for the recipe. She never gave it to me.

First attempt:

Thinking I have an idea in my mind how to cook it, went and bought the black rice and cooked it like I do biko. OOpppps! Rice was still raw and hard.

Second attempt:

Last week, I saw some of the black rice sitting on the shelf in the storage. So I decided to give it another try. Put more water than cooking normal malagkit. Another ooppps! Some of the grains were nice and tender but most of it were hard. Sayang!

Third attempt:

One more try.. soaked the rice over night, adjusted the water, etc. Again, it didn't turn out! another oopsy! I always feel bad wasting food but couldn't help but threw it away. So that was it! I quit!

I was feeling so disappointed and frustrated, I called my mother who lives in New Zealand. She didn't answer her phone. Then I called my sister, Melita, who lives next door to my mother, just to chit-chat with her, not intending to tell her about my black rice dilemma because I didn't think she can help me. Before I said goodbye, well I thought, I might as well tell her. Lo and behold!! to my surprise she knows how to cook it! She told me that the black rice, although it says on the package, and Thais call it, GLUTINOUS, is NOT glutinous at all. She told me the secret: you need to combine it with some white glutinous or sticky rice, then soak them overnight and when cooked, becomes sticky. In the process, the white sticky rice picks up the black color from the black rice. That's what I was doing wrong all along...cooking the black rice by itself! Melits, the "genious", my saving grace!

How did I do on my fourth attempt? NOT BAD!!

Recipe for Black Rice Bibingka:
This is 1/2 Recipe baked in a 9"x13"x2' baking pan (updated)

1 cup black rice
2 cups white glutinous rice, soak in
3 cups water
1 can coconut cream or coconut milk
1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1) Put the black rice and glutinous rice in the rice cooker pot and rinse it once. Discard the water and replace it with 3 cups of water, cover and let soak overnight.
2) The next day, plug in the rice cooker and cook the rice (this is the same process I make biko or nilatikan, click here). As soon as the rice cooker timer dings (or whatever signal your rice cooker gives you when the rice is through cooking) take the pot out and stir in 1 can coconut cream or coconut milk and brown sugar into the rice. Mix well.
4) Transfer the mixture into a greased 9"x13"x2' baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a 325 degrees oven for 45 minutes up to 1 hour in water bath.
6) Sprinkle with sweetened flake coconuts.(Optional)

This is an updated procedure.

ENJOY!!!

Note from MaMely:
1) Water Bath: put your filled pan in a larger pan and pour in boiling water about halfway up the sides of the smaller pan.

2) This Bibingka will slice better when completely cooled. When still hot or warm, it will not slice, but you can use a spoon or a ladle to scoop it. In other words, you might want to wait about 6-8 hours before slicing it. I don't know who can wait that long to dig into it though.