Two of the things I seldom ran of out are glutinous rice and coconut milk. My kids love KAKANIN (Filipino native delicacies usually made of rice) Cooking Biko is like a walk in the park for me and I can do it for them whenever they crave it. After cooking numerous trays of this delicious delicacy, I sort of got the hang of the perfect ratio of the glutinous rice to the coconut milk. At least, to my family’s liking.

One time, I saw this black glutinous rice at the Asian store and remembered that my mom used to make Biko with it. But instead of cooking it the way she used to, I tried to combine the black to the regular glutinous rice to make it purple. My first attempt was okay but I can still taste some uncooked black grains and by the time it was done, the white part was a little overcooked. So, I tried soaking the black rice for two hours before mixing it to the white and it turned out exactly how I wanted it to be. The grains cooked at the same time and blended so well that it seemed like I just used purple rice to make it.

I was sure it would be easier to convince my kids to give it a try than presenting a Black Biko … and I was right. They loved it! Hope you like it as much as we do. Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Purple Biko (Sweet Rice Cake)

Biko is a sticky rice cake Filipino delicacy that is slightly sweetened and cooked in coconut milk. The addition of the black glutinous rice made it healthier and gave it a better texture when you bite into it.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Soaking Time2 hrs
Total Time35 mins
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: biko, kakanin, sweet rice cake
Author: Pam from Pinoybites.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Black Glutinous Rice rinse and soak in 1 cup water for 2 hours
  • 1 cup Glutinous Rice rinsed and drained ..DO NOT SOAK
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 can Coconut Milk (400 ml)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar or white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp McCormick Ube flavor (optional)

Here’s How:

  • Drain the water from the black glutinous rice and place rice in a saucepan with a lid ( preferably non-stick ) together with the other glutinous rice that has been rinsed and drained. Add water, stir, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Once boiling, stir and lower heat to a simmer. Replace lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a non-stick saute pan, combine coconut milk, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and gently pour the cooked rice to the coconut mixture.
  • Continue stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked to desired doneness.
  • Transfer to a greased pan.

Notes

*** If you want to make plain Biko, use 2 cups of regular glutinous rice instead and follow the rest of the recipe. There’s no need to soak the rice.
*** For a more authentic look, line your serving dish with banana leaves. Grease the dish with a little bit of coconut oil before placing the cooked biko.