Suman sa Lihiya is a traditional Filipino rice cake wrapped in banana leaves and infused with lye water (lihiya) for a tender, gooey texture. It is topped with latik sauce, adding a sweet and caramel-like flavor.
Jump to:
What is Suman sa Lihiya?
Suman sa Lihiya is a traditional Filipino sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice (malagkit) treated with lye water (lihiya), which makes the rice softer, chewier, and slightly yellowish. Wrapped in banana leaves, it's typically boiled and served with latik, a caramel-like sauce made with coconut milk and panutsa.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous rice: Also known as sticky rice or sweet rice, this type of rice is ideal for Suman sa Lihiya because of its sticky, chewy texture when cooked.
- Lye water: Soaking rice in alkaline water softens it, adds a chewy texture, and imparts a yellowish color. Do not use more than required - too much can give the rice a bitter or unpleasant taste.
- Panutsa: A natural, unrefined sugar used in making the latik sauce. You can also use muscovado or brown sugar, which has similar flavors.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Soak the rice
Rinse 3 cups of glutinous rice to remove any dirt or debris. Place it in a bowl and add water until it's about an inch above the rice level. Add 1½ teaspoons of lye water and mix well for even distribution.
The lye water will impart a slightly yellowish color to the rice. Cover and refrigerate overnight to soak the rice for about 8 hours.
Step 2: Drain and rinse rice
After soaking, drain off any remaining water and rinse under tap water to remove excess lye water. Bring it back to the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt (use half for table salt). Mix it well.
Step 3: Prepare the banana leaves
Prepare 20-22 banana leaves, each measuring about 8 x 10 inches, for the outer wrap. Then, prepare another 20-22 smaller-sized leaves for the inner wrap. This double wrapping will securely hold the rice during boiling.
Rinse or wipe the leaves clean, then quickly pass them over an open flame or heat them in a microwave to make them more flexible and easier to fold. Remove the central rib for easier wrapping.
Step 4: Wrap the suman
Lay one smaller inner leaf on top of a larger outer leaf, both with the longer side horizontal. Place ¼ cup rice onto the center of the inner leaf. Carefully enclose the rice with the inner leaf, wrapping it snugly yet has some space for expansion.
Then, fold the larger leaf over the already wrapped inner package, making sure to fully cover it. Fold the sides inward, then continue folding to form a compact, rectangular shape.
Position two wrapped suman side by side with the folded flaps facing each other. Secure them together using a kitchen twine or a thin strip of banana leaf.
Step 5: Boil the suman
Arrange the wrapped suman in a large 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 2 hours.
To check if the suman is ready, remove one package from the pot using tongs. Let it cool for a moment, then unwrap it. The rice should be tender, sticky, and fully cooked through.
PRO TIP: Keep the packages submerged throughout the cooking process; weigh them down with a heat-proof plate or pot lid if needed. If the water level drops, replenish it with more boiling water to keep them fully covered the entire time.
Step 6: Prepare the latik sauce
In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, panutsa, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract. Crack or break the panutsa into smaller pieces to melt more easily and evenly into the coconut milk.
Set over medium-high heat, stiring occasionally to melt the panutsa and to prevent sticking or burning. Continue cooking until it reduces in volume and thickens, about 15 minutes.
To check if the sauce is thick enough, dip a spoon into it. If the sauce coats the spoon and drips slowly, it's ready. You can also test it by dropping a bit on a plate and letting it cool. If it thickens to your desired consistency, the sauce is ready. This recipe will yield about 1¾ cups of latik sauce.
Step 7: Serve with latik
Once the Suman sa Lihiya has cooled slightly, unwrap and serve them with a generous drizzle of latik sauce.
Refrigerate suman for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, boil, steam, or microwave until warm. Store latik sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking rice hydrates and softens the grains, which is necessary to achieve the right texture for suman. It can also shorten the cooking time because the rice has already absorbed water.
Lye water makes the rice grains chewier and imparts a yellowish color to the rice, which contributes to the characteristic appearance of Suman sa Lihiya.
Latik is a thick, sweet syrup or sauce made by simmering coconut milk with sugar until it reduces to a thick caramel-like consistency. In other regions, it can refer to crispy, caramelized coconut curds used as a garnish for various desserts, such as Ube Kalamay or Maja Blanca.
Explore more Filipino rice cakes
- Sapin-Sapin: A colorful layered dessert made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar. Each layer is colored and flavored differently, often with ube and jackfruit.
- Kalamay: A sticky and sweet rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It's often spread over banana leaves and topped with latik (caramelized coconut curds).
- Suman Malagkit: Boiled sweet rice cakes with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in banana leaves.
- Ube Suman sa Latik: Steamed rice cakes flavored with ube and topped with caramelized coconut curds also known as latik.
- Biko: A sweet rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It's usually topped with latik and has a chewy, sticky texture.
- Palitaw: Boiled rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour and rolled in grated mature coconut and sprinkled with sugar and sesame seeds or peanuts.
- Kutsinta: Chewy, jelly-like cakes made with rice flour and lye water, giving them a distinctive orange or brown color. They're often topped with grated coconut.
Other street food recipes you may like
Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes. Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!
Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!
📖 Recipe
Suman sa Lihiya
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot (for the suman)
- Saucepan (for the sauce)
- Banana leaves (22 8x10-inch pieces, plus another 22 smaller-sized pieces)
- Kitchen twine optional
Ingredients
For the suman
- 3 cups glutinous rice see note
- 1½ teaspoons lye water see note
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
For the latik sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 10 ounces panutsa or 1½ cups muscovado or brown sugar see note
- A pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Rinse the glutinous rice to remove any dirt or debris. Place it in a bowl and add water until it's about an inch above the rice level.
- Add 1½ teaspoons of lye water and mix well for even distribution. Cover and refrigerate overnight to soak the rice for about 8 hours.
- After soaking, drain off any remaining water and rinse under tap water to remove excess lye water. Bring it back to the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt (use half for table salt). Mix it well.
- Prepare 20-22 banana leaves, about 8 x 10 inches for the outer wrap, and an equal number of smaller leaves for the inner wrap. Rinse or wipe them clean, then heat quickly over an open flame or in a microwave to increase flexibility. Remove the central rib for easier wrapping.
- Lay a smaller inner leaf on top of a larger outer leaf, both horizontally. Place ¼ cup of rice in the center of the inner leaf and wrap it snugly, allowing room for expansion. Fold the larger leaf over this, covering it completely and folding in the sides to form a compact rectangle. Place two wrapped suman side by side with the folds facing each other and tie them together with kitchen twine or a strip of banana leaf.
- 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 2 hours. The rice should be tender, sticky, and fully cooked through.PRO TIP: Keep the packages submerged throughout the cooking process; weigh them down with a heat-proof plate or pot lid if needed. If the water level drops, replenish it with more boiling water to keep the suman fully covered.
- In a saucepan, combine coconut, panutsa, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract. Crack or break the panutsa into smaller pieces to melt more easily and evenly into the coconut milk.
- Set over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to melt the panutsa and prevent sticking or burning. Continue cooking until it reduces in volume and thickens, about 15 minutes.To check if the sauce is thick enough, dip a spoon into it. If it coats the spoon and drips slowly, it's ready. Alternatively, drop a bit on a plate and let it cool; if it thickens to your desired consistency, the sauce is ready. This recipe yields about 1¾ cups of latik sauce.
- Once the Suman sa Lihiya has cooled slightly, unwrap and serve them with a generous drizzle of latik sauce.
Notes
- Glutinous rice: Also known as sticky rice or sweet rice, this type of rice is ideal for Suman sa Lihiya because of its sticky and chewy texture when cooked.
- Lye water: Soaking rice in alkaline water makes it sticky and gooey. It also imparts a yellowish tint to the rice.
- Panutsa: A natural, unrefined sugar used in making the latik sauce. You can also use muscovado or brown sugar, which has similar flavors.
Liz says
I tried your recipe and it didn’t taste like suman lihiya. Because you rinsed off the lye water so it tastes like just bland suman. My Lola said you’re not supposed to rinse the lye water.
Nora Reyes says
Hi Liz,
Thank you for sharing that—and I appreciate your Lola’s insight. Some recipes do leave the lye water in, especially when using a very small amount, and that does give a stronger, more pronounced lihiya flavor. For this recipe, I do a light rinse after soaking to keep the flavor a bit more balanced and less sharp, especially since store-bought lye water can vary in strength. The rice still gets that color and chewy texture from the overnight soak, but rinsing helps prevent it from tasting bitter for those who are newer to lihiya. If you’re used to a more pronounced lihiya taste (the kind Lola makes 😊), you can definitely skip the rinse or just do a very quick one. Like a lot of Filipino dishes, suman lihiya really depends on family tradition—and there’s more than one right way to make it. Thanks again for trying the recipe and sharing your experience ❤️
Velvet says
I made it for new year and it's so good! I used 1 cup of sugar instead of 1 and 1/2 for the sauce still very 👍
Nora Reyes says
Awww, I love hearing that! 😊 I’m so glad you enjoyed it—and yes, that’s a great adjustment. Thanks for sharing, and happy New Year!
Lara says
Whats the sauce on top? Looks so good
Nora Reyes says
Hi Lara, That's latik sauce on top! It's a rich, caramel-like syrup made from coconut milk. Really adds a special touch to the suman. Glad you think it looks good! 😊🥥🍯