#177_Ginataang Bayabas (Guavas in Coconut Milk)

Ohhhh, GUAVAS!!!!

That's exactly what I uttered upon entering the
newly opened Mexican store in my neighborhood the other day.
Actually the guavas did not look that great,
and in all honesty, most people in the Philippines
won't take a second look at these bruised,
over ripe, mushy guavas,
and I think it was nostalgia rather than appetite that made me
pay $3.99 per pound for fruits that were nearly rotten.
They brought back fun childhood memories....
climbing my grandparents' guava trees and my mother's
Ginataang Bayabas.
Ahhh, memories, how precious!!

Here's how to make Ginataang Bayabas:
(for 1.3 lbs)

Guavas must be ripe but firm.

1) Deseed, (optional) then peel and slice guavas.
2) Boil guavas in 4 cups water until tender, about 20 minutes, depending on how ripe the guavas are.
3) Add 1-1/2 cups white sugar and let it simmer (like making simple syrup, only with the guavas).
4) Add 1 can coconut milk, (I prefer to use Coconut cream) and continue to simmer for just a few minutes (about 2-3 minutes). Turn off the heat.

Serve warm or room temperature.
Yummy!!

We used to eat this with fried tinapa or fried toyou and rice

during rainy days.
Guavas must be in season during rainy season
in the Philippines,
otherwise I would have seen some in January or February
when I went back for visits.

Oooops!
I forgot the salt...add just a teaspoon of salt while boiling guavas in water.

********************************

#7_ Biko ( Rice Cake)

In Pangasinan, this is BIKO. I know that different regions in the Philippines have different names and versions for this kakanin, but for me, this is "the" BIKO and I'm sticking to it!


Originally, Biko is topped with ganosal, in Tagalog, latik, which is the curdles from the coconut milk when making coconut oil. Well, there were two reasons I didn't make latik for the topping: One, I don't know how to make it. Two, I know it is so tedious to make it because I had seen my mother make them all the time and I don't have any interest whatsoever in learning how to make it. My friend, Aida, substitutes toasted coconut for the latik. It's a very good substitute and in fact it's as good as the latik if not better. Personally, I like the toasted coconut better because it gives crunchiness to the BIKO.

This version of biko is from my friend Gloria. There is no soaking the malagkit in water for hours,(which causes the grains to break up when cooked). You don't need to cook the sugar and coconut milk on top of the stove. This is very easy to make and yet its very good and it is the way I like biko to be, not mushy and the grains retained their shapes, they are not broken up to pieces. I've been doing it wrong until just recently Gloria told me to fully cook the malagkit. I cooked it that way today and also my water-malagkit ratio was precise. It came out so perfect!

Ingredients:
4 cups malagkit
4 cups water
1/2 can coconut milk (updated)
2 cups DARK BROWN sugar, firmly packed
Sweetened Flaked coconuts, toasted (optional)

Procedure:
1. Rinse the malagkit and cook it in rice cooker with 4 cups water
2. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish with butter and line it with a piece of banana leaf. Grease top of banana leaf also.
3. When the malagkit is fully cooked, turn power off but leave the malagkit in the rice cooker pot. In it, while the malagkit is still hot, add the coconut milk and the sugar stirring well but gently until everything is all blended together.
4. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Do not press down, just smooth the top out
5. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Sprinkle toasted flaked coconuts on top.

Related posts:
Nilatikan>>>>>http://pinoyamericanrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/01/64glutinous-rice-cake-with-topping.html
Biko:>>>http://pinoyamericanrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/04/291mango-sticky-rice.html

Notes from MaMely:
I found that using dark brown sugar brings better result. Taste, texture and color are better. No, there's no taste of molasses. The amount of water used in this recipe is the key. Make sure the ratio is 1:1

Lining the bottom of pan with banana leaf is optional.