Putong bigas are soft Filipino steamed rice cakes with a lightly sweet, slightly tangy taste.
They're traditionally made with galapong, which is rice soaked overnight and ground into a fermented batter.
This version keeps things simpler by using rice flour and yeast, so you still get that familiar flavor and fluffy texture without grinding the rice yourself.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Rice flour: Use regular rice flour, not glutinous or sticky rice flour. To make your own, grind uncooked white rice until very fine; soak, drain, and dry it first if your blender needs help.
- Instant yeast: This can be mixed straight into the dry ingredients. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it first in a little warm coconut milk with about 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Coconut milk: Makes the puto softer and a little richer. You can use water for some or all of it if you want it lighter.
- Toppings (optional): Putong bigas is good plain, but you can add cheese, salted egg, grated coconut, or a little butter if you like.
How to Make Putong Bigas (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the batter
In a large bowl, combine:
- 2 cups rice flour
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
- 1 can coconut milk
Mix until smooth.
If you like, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a few drops of pandan extract for extra flavor.
Step 2: Make the tangzhong
In a small pot, mix ½ cup rice flour and 1½ cups water until smooth.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a paste (about 6-8 minutes). Remove from the heat.
Step 3: Add the tangzhong
Add the thickened rice flour paste to the batter and mix until smooth.
This helps the puto stay soft and fluffy by adding more moisture to the batter.
Step 4: Proof the batter
Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
Let the batter sit in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until bubbly and slightly risen.
This means the yeast is working.
Step 5: Prepare the molds
Lightly grease aluminum molds with butter or oil to keep the puto from sticking.
Silicone molds usually release easily, but a light coating of oil can help.
You can also use banana leaves for extra flavor and to help keep them from sticking.
Step 6: Fill the molds
Place the molds in the steamer basket.
Stir the batter, then fill each mold about ¾ full.
Add cheese or salted egg on top, if using.
Step 7: Steam the puto
Bring the steamer water to a boil. Wrap the lid with a clean cloth.
Place the basket in the steamer, then lower the heat to medium.
Steam for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops crack and a toothpick comes out clean.
Try not to open the lid too early so the puto can rise properly.
Step 8: Remove from the molds
Let the putong bigas cool slightly, then remove them from the molds.
Serve your putong bigas warm or at room temperature.
They're best enjoyed fresh and served with dinuguan.
Keep at room temperature for 1 day. After that, refrigerate for up to 1 week and reheat before serving.
Tips for Making Putong Bigas
- Let the batter rise until bubbly: This helps the puto turn soft and fluffy.
- Wrap the lid with a cloth: This keeps water from dripping onto the puto while steaming.
- Don't open the steamer too soon: Opening it early can affect the rise.
- Cool slightly before unmolding: This makes the puto easier to remove without sticking.
Recipe FAQs
Putong bigas is a Filipino steamed rice cake traditionally made with rice or galapong. It's soft, fluffy, and slightly tangy.
Tangzhong helps keep the puto soft and fluffy. Cooking part of the rice flour with water first adds moisture to the batter, which helps prevent the puto from turning dense or dry.
Puto can be made with different flours, while putong bigas is made with rice flour or galapong. It has a softer texture and a slightly tangy flavor.
Dense puto can happen if the batter did not rise enough, the steamer was opened too early, or the batter was overmixed after proofing.
Puto can collapse if the batter is underproofed, the steamer lid is opened too early, or water drips onto the cakes while steaming.
Let the batter rise until bubbly, keep the lid closed while steaming, and wrap the lid with a cloth to catch condensation.
More Puto Recipes
- Puto kutsinta: Chewy, jelly-like puto served with grated coconut.
- Puto with cheese: Soft steamed cakes topped with melty cheese.
- Puto flan: Puto with a layer of leche flan on top.
- Puto maya: Visayan sticky rice cake served with mango and sikwate.
- Puto pao: Steamed puto with savory asado filling.
- Puto seko: Dry, crumbly, cookie-like puto.
- Puto mamon: Light, sponge cake-like puto.
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📖 Recipe
Putong Bigas Recipe
Equipment
- 16 puto molds (aluminum or silicone)
- Steamer
- Banana leaves (optional)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups rice flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
- 1 (13.5-oz) can coconut milk (or water)
- Vanilla extract or pandan extract optional
- Grated coconut, cheese, salted egg, or butter optional toppings
For the tangzhong:
- ½ cup rice flour
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
- Mix the rice flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and coconut milk until smooth.
- Cook the tangzhong ingredients over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened into a paste (about 6-8 minutes). Mix into the batter until smooth.
- Cover and let the batter rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until bubbly.
- Grease the molds or line with banana leaves. Place molds in the steamer basket and fill about ¾ full. Add cheese or salted egg, if using.
- Steam over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep the lid wrapped with a cloth and avoid opening too early.
- Let cool slightly, then remove from the molds. Serve fresh.
Notes
- Rice flour: Use regular rice flour, not glutinous rice flour. To make your own, grind uncooked white rice until very fine; soak, drain, and dry it first if your blender needs help.
- Instant yeast: Mix it straight into the dry ingredients. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it first in warm coconut milk with about 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Coconut milk: Makes the puto softer and a little richer. Use water for some or all of it if you want it lighter.
- Toppings (optional): Putong bigas is good plain, but you can add cheese, salted egg, grated coconut, or a little butter if you like.
- Let the batter rise until bubbly.
- Wrap the lid with a cloth to catch drips.
- Don't open the steamer too early.
- Cool slightly before removing from molds.
Marissa says
Hi Nora, I was looking for puto recipe and I found yours. I don't have rice flour. If I'm making with regular rice, how many cups do I need?
Thank you.
Nora Reyes says
Hi Marissa,
If you have a high-powered blender, you can grind the rice dry into flour (no need to soak). Just make sure it's very fine, then measure what you need for the recipe.
If your blender isn't as strong, soak the rice in water (a few hours to overnight - the longer it soaks, the easier to blend) then you'd have to drain and air-dry it so it's not wet before blending. I hope this helps! =)
Noah says
Delicious!!!
Nora Reyes says
Thank you, Noah!