Ginataan (pronounced: GHEE -nah-ta- AN) is a Filipino term that refers to food cooked with gata, or coconut milk.
Literally translated, ginataan means “made with coconut milk.”
Due to the general nature of the term, it can refer to a number of different dishes, each called ginataan, but distinct from one another, to dishes that are consumed with glutinous rice during the main meals of the day, but also to various desserts generically called ginataan, especially in northern Philippines.
If instead of plain glutinous rice, glutinous rice balls are used, it becomes: ginataang bilo bilo.
Bilo-bilo is a Filipino dessert made of glutinous rice balls cooked in coconut milk and sugar to which are often added: jackfruit, saba bananas, tubers – in my case sweet potato – and sago, or sometimes tapioca pearls, though many confuse the two.
The origin of Ginatang bilo bilo is in Luzon, which is a northern island of the Philippines.
Very often it assumes different colors, with the use of food colorings or otherwise, I used the blue flowers of the Butterfly pea to color the water with which I created the balls (bilo-bilo) and for that mixed with the coconut milk.
It is usually served warm or cold.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 2 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Filipino
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour (or rice flour)
- 1 cup sago (or tapioca pearls)
- 2 coconut milk (cans)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 sweet potato (or yam)
- 2 saba banana
- 1 jackfruit (optional)
- as needed butterfly blue peas (optional)
Steps
Boil 3 cups of water and steep the petals of Clitoria ternatea (Butterly Pea Tea), let cool and then strain the water – skip this step if you do not want to give the blue color.
Mix the flour with 1 cup of blue water and form small balls (about 25).
Pour the sago into 6 cups of boiling water, boil for about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Rinse.
In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk with 2 cups of blue water, add the sugar. Heat.
Add the sweet potato, banana and/or jackfruit – optional – cut into pieces.
Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the balls and cook until they float (about 10 minutes).
Finally, add the sago and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve at room temperature or cold.
I used sago from ITS Shop:
I used sago from ITS Shop:
I used sago from ITS Shop:
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is sago? Is it the same as tapioca pearls?
Sago seeds, or sago pearls, are similar to tapioca pearls and often can be confused as the same product, but sago is extracted from the center, or pith, of tropical trees while tapioca comes from the root of the plant, both have a soft, light, and chewy texture.
What is the difference between rice flour and glutinous rice flour?
Rice flour is made from common rice, while glutinous rice flour is made from grinding the Oryxa sativa glutinosa variety, also known as sticky rice, botan, or sweet rice.
Does glutinous rice flour contain gluten?
No, it is called glutinous for its “sticky” consistency.
