1cupcooked Tapioca pearlsSago or 1-2 tablespoons chia seeds
For the Orange Rice Balls:
1 / 4cupsweet potatoboiled, mashed and measured (1 small)
1 / 2cupglutinous rice flour
1 / 4cupwaterless 1 Tablespoon*
For the Yellow Rice Balls:
1 / 2cupglutinous rice flour
1 / 8tspturmeric powder
1tspcoconut sugar
1 / 4cupwater*
For the Purple Rice Balls:
1 / 2cupglutinous rice flour
1TUbe powder**
1 / 4cup+ 1 Tablespoon water*
For the Green Rice Balls:
1 / 2cupglutinous rice flour
1 / 2teaspoonPandan extract
1-2drops green food colorpaste
1 / 4cupwater*
For the Sweet Coconut Soup base:
1cancoconut milk400ml; I used Aroy-D
1 1 / 2cupswater***
1 / 2cupcoconut sugar
3pcspandan leaveseach tied in a knot
Instructions
You need to use 4 bowls, One bowl to separately mix each colored rice balls (bilo-bilo). Mix ingredients listed in each bowl thoroughly using a fork, gather dough with your hand then form into a ball. Repeat with each colored rice balls.
Cut one dough in half and roll into a thin log. Divide the log into smaller pieces and form into small balls by places a piece of dough in the palm of one hand and rolling with the other to form a small ball. Dust a cookie sheet (or a big platwith glutinous rice flour and place the formed dough on top to prevent sticking. Repeat with each color.
Combine all the ingredients for the coconut soup base in a big pot. Turn the heat to medium until the mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 3-5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Gently place the rice balls in the simmering broth putting a few at a time to prevent them from sticking together. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the rice balls float to the top. Add the tapioca pearls and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and enjoy warm or cold.
Notes
*Amount of water varies depending on the flavoring ingredients added. If dough is too wet, just add more glutinous rice flour , one tsp at a time until you reach the consistency of play dough. If it’s too dry, add water one tsp at a time until the same consistency is reached. You can’t go wrong with this.**If you don’t have ube powder, you can use 1 tsp Ube flavor (McCormick) but only use a scant 1 / 4 cup of water. Add a drop or two of violet food coloring if a vibrant ube color is desired. Or if you want to use fresh ube, follow the ingredients for Orange rice balls substituting ube for the sweet potato.***Reduce water by 1 / 2 cup if you prefer a thicker soup.****Instead of just Bilo-bilo and sago, you can use a combination of cubed sweet potatoes, cubed plantains, sliced ripe jackfruit and add plain or flavored bilo-bilo as listed above. The sweet coconut soup base remains the same