Cooking Techniques
Kakanin Fundamentals: Steaming, Coconut and Glutinous Rice
A technique-led guide to whole glutinous rice, galapong, rice flour, coconut reduction, steaming, wrapping and common kakanin failures.
In this article
The word kakanin is often used broadly for rice-based and starch-based Filipino sweets and snacks. The most useful way to study them is by method: whole glutinous grain, ground rice batter, starch dough, coconut reduction, steaming, baking or leaf wrapping. Substituting one flour or grain for another can change the structure even when the colour and flavour remain familiar.
Know the rice and starch forms
| Ingredient form | What it contributes | Typical examples | Main control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole glutinous rice | Chewy, cohesive grains that absorb coconut and syrup | Biko and many suman | Soaking, hydration and stopping before the grain turns pasty |
| Ground rice or galapong | Fermented or fresh batter with rice flavour and a tender crumb | Bibingka and puto traditions | Grinding fineness, fermentation or leavening, and batter thickness |
| Glutinous rice flour | Smooth elastic dough without whole grains | Palitaw and bilo-bilo | Water added gradually; dough should not crack or slump |
| Grated cassava root, distinct from cassava flour or purified tapioca starch | Grated root brings water and plant material as well as starch; flour and purified starch are different products | Cassava cake and many pichi-pichi formulas use grated root; use the form specified by the chosen recipe | Identify the exact product and preparation requirements; do not substitute root, flour and starch by volume. |
| Coconut milk and sugar reduction | Binding syrup, richness and gloss | Biko, kalamay and toppings | Low heat, constant scraping and stopping at the correct concentration |
Steaming: manage condensation and heat
- Bring the steamer to a steady boil before the food enters unless the recipe says otherwise.
- Wrap the lid with a clean cloth when condensation would drip onto batter; keep the cloth away from flame or heating elements.
- Do not crowd the steamer so tightly that steam cannot circulate.
- Replenish with boiling water, not cold water that collapses steam production.
- Check the centre, not just the surface; a shiny top can hide uncooked batter.
- Let steamed kakanin settle briefly before unmoulding.
Whole-grain kakanin: cook in stages
For biko, glutinous rice should be cooked enough to absorb the coconut-sugar mixture but not so soft that stirring destroys every grain. For suman, soaking and wrapping determine hydration and shape before steaming or boiling. The wrapper constrains the grain, so a tight but not crushing parcel gives a neater result. Source 3 Source 4
Flour dough: add water slowly
Glutinous rice flour can move from dry crumbs to sticky paste with a small amount of extra water. Add liquid a spoonful at a time. Palitaw dough should shape without cracking; bilo-bilo should roll cleanly and remain firm enough to survive simmering. Resting the dough briefly helps moisture distribute before you decide it needs more water. Source 5 Source 7
| Failure | Likely cause | Better control |
|---|---|---|
| Suman has hard centres | Insufficient soaking or cooking liquid did not penetrate | Use the recipe’s soak and wrap size; do not make parcels thicker without extending cooking. |
| Biko is mushy | Rice overcooked before final reduction or stirred too aggressively | Cook rice just tender, then fold into syrup over controlled heat. |
| Puto or bibingka centre is wet | Steam or oven heat inconsistent, mould too full, or batter too wet | Use even portions and test the centre before removing. |
| Palitaw falls apart | Dough too wet or water boiling violently | Add flour cautiously and keep water at a controlled boil. |
| Kalamay scorches | Pan too thin, heat too high or scraping incomplete | Use a heavy pan and scrape the base continuously. |
| Kakanin is difficult to slice | Still warm, syrup concentration low or knife dragging | Cool fully and use a lightly oiled or damp clean knife as appropriate. |
Banana leaves are part of the process
The National Museum documents banana, taro, coconut, buri and corn sheaths as traditional Philippine food wrappers. Banana leaves provide surface area, pliability and aroma, while palm strips can form woven containers. Use the correct wrapper for the dish instead of treating every green leaf as edible or heat-safe. Source 1
A learning sequence
- Start with palitaw to learn glutinous-rice-flour hydration.
- Make ginataang bilo-bilo to learn how starch behaves in coconut liquid.
- Try biko to control whole glutinous rice and coconut reduction.
- Move to suman to add soaking, wrapping and parcel cooking.
- Tackle galapong-based bibingka or puto once batter and heat control are comfortable.
Sources: Source 5 Source 7 Source 3 Source 4 Source 6
Sources
- Traditional Food Wrappings in the PhilippinesNational Museum of the PhilippinesPublished 2022-04-30 · Checked 2026-10-10
- Varieties for moreDA–Philippine Rice Research InstituteChecked 2026-10-10
- Biko (Sticky Rice Cake)PagkainPinoyChecked 2026-10-10
- Suman sa IbosPagkainPinoyChecked 2026-10-10
- PalitawPagkainPinoyChecked 2026-10-10
- Bibingka GalapongPagkainPinoyChecked 2026-10-10
- Ginataang Bilo-bilo (Sticky Rice Balls in Coconut Milk)PagkainPinoyChecked 2026-10-10