Suman Malagkit is a beloved Filipino sweet rice cake, known for its simple yet satisfying chewy texture. With just a few ingredients and a straightforward process, it's surprisingly easy to make at home!
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What is Suman Malagkit?
Suman Malagkit, also called Budbud, is a traditional Filipino rice cake or " kakanin" made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and sugar, then wrapped in banana leaves. It's often enjoyed with a sprinkle of sugar or a drizzle of latik, a coconut caramel-like sauce made with panutsa. Suman sa Ibus (or Ibos) is a similar variation wrapped in buri or palm leaves.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous rice: Also called sweet rice, sticky rice, or "malagkit," this type of rice turns chewy and sticky when cooked.
- Coconut milk: Fresh coconut milk is best, but canned or carton varieties are convenient alternatives. Use full-fat for the best taste.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare banana leaves
Rinse or wipe the banana leaves clean. Gently pass them over an open flame to make them pliable. Remove the central rib and cut them into rectangles about 8x10 inches in size.
Step 2: Rinse the rice
Rinse the glutinous rice to remove dirt and debris, then drain and set aside.
Step 3: Prepare coconut mixture
In a wide skillet or sauté pan, combine the coconut milk, 1 cup of water, sugar, and salt. Stir together and bring it to a boil.
Step 4: Partially cook rice
Add the drained rice to the boiling coconut mixture, then give it a good mix. Lower the heat to medium-low, then cover.
Allow the rice to partially cook for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Mix it every now and then to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Once done, remove from heat and it cool slightly before wrapping.
Step 5: Wrap the suman
Lay a banana leaf horizontally on a flat surface. Scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture onto the lower center and shape it into a 5-inch long log.
Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the mixture. Gently press to form a snug, but not overly tight, wrap. Then, roll it all the way up before folding the sides underneath to secure the contents.
Pair up the suman with another, making sure the folded flaps face each other. Tie them together using strips of banana leaf to secure them.
Step 6: Boil the suman
Arrange the suman in a pot, then pour enough water to completely submerge them. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to keep the water bubbling steadily but not too vigorously, for about 30 minutes.
To check if the suman is ready, remove one package; the rice should be tender, sticky, and fully cooked through.
PRO TIP: Keep the suman submerged throughout the cooking process; weigh them down with a heat-proof plate or pot lid if needed. If the water level drops, add more boiling water to keep them fully covered the entire time.
Allow the suman to cool slightly before unwrapping.
Serve your Suman Malagkit with a sprinkle of sugar or drizzle with latik or coconut caramel sauce.
Recipe FAQs
No, glutinous rice is essential for the sticky, chewy texture that defines Suman Malagkit.
While banana leaves add a distinct flavor and aroma, you can use parchment paper or foil as alternatives.
Keep them in the refrigerator, wrapped in their leaves or in an airtight container, for up to a week. Reheat by steaming or microwaving.
Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat by steaming or microwaving.
More Filipino rice cakes
- Bibingka: A coconut rice cake traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves. It's soft, spongy, and usually topped with salted duck eggs and cheese.
- Puto: Slightly sweet steamed cakes made with rice flour, traditionally white but sometimes colored.
- Kutsinta: A chewy, jelly-like treat made with glutionous rice flour, brown sugar, and lye water, often topped with grated coconut.
- Sapin-Sapin: A layered sticky rice dessert, each layer flavored and colored differently, typically with ube and jackfruit.
- Bibingkang Malagkit: Asticky rice cake made with glutinous rice and coconut milk, baked with a rich, golden latik sauce.
- Biko: A sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar, usually topped with latik or caramelized coconut curds.
- Palitaw: Boiled sweet rice cakes made with glutinous rice dough, then rolled in grated coconut and topped with sugar and peanuts or sesame seeds.
- Sumang Kamoteng Kahoy: Cassava suman made with grated cassava, coconut milk, and sugar, then wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
- Suman sa Lihiya: Glutinous rice treated with lye water, wrapped in banana leaves and served with latik sauce.
- Ube Kalamay: Ube-flavored rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and purple yam, cooked until thick and topped with latik.
- Ube Suman sa Latik: Sticky rice cakes flavored with ube and topped with a sweet coconut syrup, wrapped in banana leaves for steaming.
Other dessert recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Suman Malagkit
Equipment
- Wide skillet, sauté pan, or shallow pot
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 2½ cups glutinous rice see note
- 1 (13.5-oz) can coconut milk see note
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
- Banana leaves (18 8x10-inch pieces) more for tying
Instructions
- Rinse or wipe the banana leaves clean. Gently pass them over an open flame to make them pliable. Remove the central rib and cut them into rectangles approximately 8x10 inches in size.
- Rinse the glutinous rice to remove dirt and debris, then drain and set aside.
- In a sauté pan or shallow pot, combine the coconut milk, 1 cup of water, sugar, and salt. Stir together and bring it to a boil.
- Add the drained rice to the boiling coconut mixture, then give it a good mix. Lower the heat to medium-low, then cover. Allow the rice to partially cook for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Mix it every now and then to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Once done, remove from heat and let it cool slightly before wrapping.
- Lay a banana leaf horizontally on a flat surface. Scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture onto the lower center and shape it into a 5-inch long log.
- Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the mixture. Gently press to form a snug, but not overly tight, wrap. Then, roll it all the way up before folding the sides underneath to secure the contents.
- Pair up the suman with another, making sure the folded flaps face each other. Tie them together using strips of banana leaf to secure them.
- Arrange the suman in a pot, then pour enough water to completely submerge them. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to keep the water bubbling steadily but not too vigorously, for about 30 minutes. PRO TIP: Keep the suman submerged throughout the cooking process; weigh them down with a heat-proof plate or pot lid if needed. If the water level drops, add more boiling water to keep them fully covered the entire time.To check if the suman is ready, remove one package; the rice should be tender, sticky, and fully cooked through.
- Allow the suman to cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve your Suman Malagkit with a sprinkle of sugar or drizzle with latik or coconut caramel sauce.
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice, sticky rice, or "malagkit," this type of rice turns chewy and sticky when cooked.
- Coconut milk: Fresh coconut milk is best, but canned or carton varieties are convenient alternatives. Use full-fat for the best taste.
Giselle
I love how it turned out, soo soft i cant stop eating!!
Nora Reyes
That's great! Thank you so much, Giselle!