This is a simple biko recipe that requires no overnight soaking or oven baking. It's a Filipino kakanin that is straightforward to make though does takes time to cook the latik sauce and a little bit of energy needed to stir the sticky rice.
This is a beginner-friendly recipe with lots of tips and step by step photos. Enjoy!
BIKO INGREDIENTS
You will only need five ingredients to make this Filipino sticky rice. Yes, it's that simple!
- Glutinous rice – or malagkit rice in Filipino. You can find this in many Asian supermarkets and most online stores.
- Coconut milk – if using canned coconut milk, always check the list of ingredients at the back level. It should, at the minimum, only have coconut milk and water.
- Brown Sugar or Dark brown sugar - can be used interchangeably. The latter is darker in color and has a more intense molasses flavor.
- Salt – balances the sweetness of the sugar. In short, “pangtanggal umay” in Filipino.
- Vanilla - complements the coconut and molasses flavor. This is optional but highly recommended.
HOW TO MAKE BIKO - IN 3 SIMPLE STEPS!
Making this recipe requires 3 simple steps. And the good news? you will only need to make one latik sauce for the rice and optional topping.
COOKING THE GLUTINOUS RICE (MALAGKIT NA KANIN)
While other recipes use coconut milk to cook with the rice, in my mama's recipe we will only use plain water. There's also no overnight soaking involved.
Malagkit (glutinous rice)
- 3 cups glutinous rice, see note 1
- 2 ½ cup water
- Latik (coconut sugar syrup)
- 4 cups coconut milk, see note 2
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar, add more if preferred, see note 3
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
COOK THE MALAGKIT (GLUTINOUS RICE)
- Rinse glutinous rice with water then drain well. Place in a pot and then add 2 ½ 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 LATIK SAUCE (COCONUT CARAMEL)
- Place all the latik 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 ½ cup of the sauce into a heat-proof bowl.
COOK THE BIKO
- Set heat to medium-low. Add ½ of the cooked glutinous rice to the pan and stir with the remaining latik sauce. Add the remaining rice and stir again using two wooden spatulas.
- Slowly add back some of the latik 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 latik sauce on top. Enjoy!
RECIPE 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.
NUTRITIONCalories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg