This is a beginner-friendly biko recipe. Here learn how to cook the sticky rice and how to make a thick, rich, and not too sweet latik sauce. No oven baking is involved, just straightforward stirring and an ounce or two of patience. Great as a snack or dessert for special occasions. Don't forget to drizzle that extra sauce on top just before serving!
Rinse glutinous rice with water then drain well. Place in a pot and then add 2 1/2 cup water. Swirl to combine. Turn on the heat and set it to medium heat. Stir and scrape the sides to prevent the rice from sticking too much in the pot.
IMMEDIATELY reduce the heat to low when it starts to boil and cook for 20 minutes. Set a timer if needed to avoid overcooking the rice.
Make the caramel topping (latik sauce)
Place all the ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Set the heat to low and cook until sauce thickens to a syrupy caramel consistency. This will take about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the sugar from burning. Taste halfway through and add more brown sugar if preferred. Stir-in salt and vanilla extract.
Carefully scoop about 1 1/2 cup of the sauce into a heat-proof bowl.
Cook the biko
Set heat to medium-low. Add 1/2 of the cooked glutinous rice to the pan and stir with the remaining sauce. Add the remaining rice and stir again using two wooden spatulas.
Slowly add back some of the caramel sauce in small portions, stirring the mixture after each addition. Just eyeball the amount. If you see visible white rice then it will need more latik. Don't forget to leave some sauce for topping later. Continue stirring and tossing until liquid is completely absorbed and the mixture becomes sticky and stiff. This will take around 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a serving pan. Cut into serving pieces. Serve warm or cool with sauce drizzled on top. Enjoy!
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Notes
Glutinous rice – also known as sweet rice or sticky rice. You can find this in many Asian supermarkets and popular online stores.
When buying canned coconut milk for the latik sauce, avoid using those that contain thickeners like xanthan gum, guar gum, or carrageenan. It should, at the minimum, only have coconut milk and water.
Brown sugar - can be substituted with muscovado sugar/ dark brown sugar. Note that biko will be darker in color if using these substitutes.
Measurement: Use BAKING CUPS, not the cup that comes with the rice cooker.