Suman sa Lihiya with Latik (Wrapped Rice Cake with Coco-Butter Syrup)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Rice Cake 

• 2 cups glutinous rice (malagkit)
• 2 cup whole grain rice
• water for soaking rice 
• 4 cups water 
• 1 Tbsp Lihiya or Lye (food grade)
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1 cup brown sugar (segunda in Filipino or the partially refined sugar)

For the Coco-Butter Syrup

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup muscovado sugar or raw sugar; you can also use grated panucha or hardened sugar
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1Tbsp glutinous rice flour

• fresh banana leaves, cut into about 6"x10", about 16 pieces, have extra just in case one or two tears apart
• 16 pieces cotton strings cut about 14 inches in length. 
• grated coconut meat (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare the Rice 

1. Combine the two types of rice, rinse twice and drain. Put enough water just to cover rice and soak for at least an hour.
2. After an hour, drain rice and add 4 cups of fresh water.  Add the Lihiya (lye) and mix well.  Water will turn pale yellow.
3. Cook rice about 30 to 35 minutes.  If using rice cooker, let the equipment time itself 

Prepare the leaves 

1. In an open flame, run over your banana leaves one at a time to wilt and steam it a bit.  We do this so leaves will not break when we wrap the rice later. Set aside.

Prepare the Syrup

1. In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except for the butter.  Mix well until lumps from glutinous rice flour are gone. 
2. nder low flame, simmer mixture until thick, about 5 minutes. Careful not to boil.  Why? We do not want the coco milk to coagulate, we are looking for a syrupy texture just like that of a maple syrup
3. Before your 5 minutes ends, add the butter and mix well.  Set aside.

Let's go back to the rice

1. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and add coco cream and sugar.  Mix well until well blended.  Careful not to burn yourself.
2. Measure 1/2 cup of prepared rice and place them on the lighter green side of the banana leaf.  Wrap it up like you would your sandwich.  Do this to the remaining rice.

     3.  When you are done wrapping everything, let's tie them up together.  Why? So they               will not burst and keep their shape.  Get two pieces and place them together where               the flaps of the leaves are in between the two suman.
     4.  Using the cotton string, tie one end and then the other.  There is no exact science                 here, just tie it up however you want, although it's suggested you use a knot where it             can be pulled off easily later on. Do this to the rest of the suman.

     5.  Using a steamer or a make shift one, it does not matter as long as you can steam                 these babies, steam the suman for 10 minutes.  Make sure to give room for the                     suman to expand, for it will. Just a few centimeters apart.
     6.  After 10 minutes, remove suman from heat and allow to cool a bit.
     7.  Unwrap a suman and pour over coco butter syrup on top.  You may also serve this               with grated coconut meat as an option.
Notes:
--Soaking rice before cooking is a traditional way of preparing this grain.  Rice grains absorbs water that makes cooking time shorter and gives a good texture to it as well.  
--What is the lye for? Lye gives this suman a distinct flavor plus lye gives rice cakes it's gooey texture or in Tagalog "kunat"

Source : my twisted recipe

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