Luscious and silky bilo-bilo made of sweet potato and glutinous rice cooked in sweet and creamy coconut milk. This is Ginataang Bilo-Bilo, a favorite Filipino merienda, made even more special.
How to make Special Bilo Bilo
The ratio of the glutinous rice, mashed sweet potato, and water is crucial. Too much of the potatoes and or water can make the balls weak and sloppy. Hence, if you find the dough sticky after mixing the ingredients and initial kneading, add small amounts of glutinous rice flour (about ¼ cup at a time) until a firm dough is formed.
Use different kinds of sweet potato such as jewel potatoes or purple sweet potatoes to make different colored rice balls.
Not only did the sweet potatoes provided natural color to the rice balls but it also enhanced the overall texture also. It's luscious, smooth and overall yummy!
To form the balls, take a small portion and then shape (or roll) into a small ball in between the palm of your hands. This is a neat trick that has been passed around from generation to generation of Filipinos.
Ingredients of Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
Making this snack is known to be a family bonding activity in the Philippines. The kids can help in making the balls while the adults can focus on preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- glutinous rice balls
- coconut milk and cream
- sago or tapioca pearls
- diced sweet potatoes
- diced saba bananas
- strips of ripe jackfruit
- sugar
- pinch of salt
All of the ingredients listed above are equally important. However, there's one ingredient that I think is essential in making a really delicious Ginataang Bilo-Bilo—and that is ripe jackfruit.
Ripe jackfruit is what gives this delicious snack the sweet aroma and fruity flavor. That's why if I don't find langka (jackfruit in Tagalog), then it's a no go for me.
Fresh ripe jackfruit is recommended when making this dish. The canned in syrup should be fine too but as it is already sweetened, make sure to adjust the amount of sugar you are going to put in the coconut milk mixture.
I hope you give this a try soon. Let me know how it goes in the comment section below. Enjoy!
More Filipino snack recipes for your weekly merienda
- Puto Flan
- Super Soft Ensaymada
- Filipino Pan de Coco
- Ensaymada Cupcakes
- Soft Spanish Bread
- Cassava Cake
- Butter Puto Cheese
- Lumpiang Gulay with Pork
- Chicken Arroz Caldo
Watch the video on how to make Ginataang Bilo-bilo
Special Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
Ingredients
Rice Balls:
- 1 cup water (add more if needed)
- 2 ½ cup glutinous rice flour
- 1 medium-size sweet potatoes (I used Jewel sweet potato)
- water for boiling
Other ingredients:
- 4 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 2 cups ripe jackfruit or langka (sliced into strips)
- 2 cups sweet potatoes (diced)
- 2 cups saba or plantain bananas (diced)
- 1 cup sago (cooked as per package directions)
- ¾ cup white sugar (add more if preferred)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Bilo Bilo with Sweet Potato
- Peel the sweet potatoes then cut into chunks. Place in a pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, around 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Place glutinous rice flour in a large mixing bowl then add water. Mix together by hands or a hard spatula.
- Add mashed sweet potato. Knead with your hand until a smooth soft dough forms (see video). If the dough turns out dry, add a bit of more water, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until it becomes elastic and smooth.
- To form the balls, take a small portion of the dough and then shape (or roll) into a small ball in between the palm of your hands. This recipe makes about 20 to 30 pieces of bilo-bilo.
Make the Ginataan
- Pour 4 cups of coconut milk into a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Gently add the rice balls once it starts bubbling. Stir carefully using a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking together.
- When the rice balls start to float onto the surface, add the diced sweet potato. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the jackfruit strips and diced saba bananas. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the fruits are cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Finally, add the sago, sugar, coconut cream and pinch of salt. Gently stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if desired.
- Remove from heat then transfer to serving bowls. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- The ratio of the glutinous rice, mashed sweet potato and water is crucial. Too much of the potatoes and or water can make the balls weak and sloppy. Hence, if you find the dough sticky after mixing the ingredients and initial kneading, add small amounts of glutinous rice flour (about ¼ cup at a time) until a firm dough is formed.
- Use different kinds of sweet potato such as jewel potatoes or purple sweet potatoes to make different colored rice balls.
- Fresh ripe jackfruit is recommended when making this dish. The canned in syrup should be fine too but as it is already sweetened, make sure to adjust the amount of sugar you are going to put in the coconut milk mixture.
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