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Puto Bumbong Recipe

Traditional Filipino steamed rice cake made with purple glutinous rice, cooked in bamboo tubes, and served with butter, fresh grated coconut, and muscovado sugar. A beloved Christmas delicacy often enjoyed after Simbang Gabi.

Difficulty Expert
Time 3 min
Servings 6
Ingredients 7
Steps 8
Puto Bumbong Recipe
Filipino Updated 12/19/2017

Ingredients

Measured from the catalog payload.

  • 1 1/3 cups sticky purple rice
  • 1 1/3 cups glutinous white rice
  • 2/3 cup long grain purple rice
  • 6 cups water
  • 3/4 cups muscovado sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup butter softened

Instructions

8 cooking steps

  1. Combine all types of rice in a large mixing bowl. Pour water. Soak for 2 days.
  2. Drain the water by pouring the contents of the bowl into a large sieve.
  3. Put the soaked rice in a large food processor. Start to grind the rice until it becomes very fine. Note: It took me around 10 minutes to achieve this consistency.
  4. Fill your puto bumbong steamer with water halfway through. Apply heat and then let the water boil.
  5. Meanwhile, fill each bumbong (bamboo tube) with powdered rice. Note: Do not compress the rice so that steam can pass easily.
  6. Once the water starts to boil rapidly, arrange each bamboo tube on the steamer. Continue to cook until steam comes out of the tube.
  7. Remove the tube from the steamer. Arrange the contents over a piece of banana leaf. Spread butter all over and then top with freshly grated coconut and muscovado sugar.
  8. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Catalog details

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Dessert No tags Public recipe Revision 1

Recipe notes

  • Soak rice for exactly 2 days (48 hours) for the best texture and proper fermentation.
  • Do not compress the rice mixture in the bamboo tubes; allow space for steam to circulate for even cooking.
  • Use fresh banana leaves for serving to add authentic aroma and prevent sticking.
  • Best served hot immediately after cooking; the texture is optimal when fresh.

Storage notes

  • Best consumed immediately while hot.
  • Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, though texture will harden.
  • Reheat by steaming for 2-3 minutes until soft and warm.