Ube Suman sa Latik is a steamed rice cake with ube, topped with caramelized coconut curds. It's a simple and satisfying treat that brings a taste of the Philippines right to your kitchen.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sticky rice flour or "malagkit," this type of flour turns chewy and sticky when cooked.
- Ube or Purple yam: If you can't find fresh or frozen ube, you can use purple sweet potatoes, just as I did, that have been boiled and mashed. Ube Halaya is another option, but reduce the sugar in the recipe by ¼ cup.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the latik
Begin by boiling coconut cream in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently until the oil separates and brown curds form. Strain the curds from the oil, saving both for later use.
For a detailed walkthrough, check out my post on How to Make Latik.
Step 2: Prepare the banana leaves
Rinse or wipe your banana leaves, cut the central rib, and pass them over an open flame to make them flexible. Cut them into pieces into 6x8-inch rectangles .
Step 3: Combine the ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, mashed purple yam, coconut milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ube extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until you achieve a thick paste, adding more glutinous rice flour as needed. It's okay if the mixture isn't completely smooth because of the ube.
Step 4: Grease the banana leaves
Lay a banana leaf on a flat surface horizontally. With the coconut oil residue from making the latik, grease the lower area where you'll put the mixture on.
Step 5: Wrap the suman
Place about 3 tablespoons of the suman mixture on the lower part of the leaf, leaving space on the sides. Shape it into a log about 4 inches long. Sprinkle some latik over the mixture.
Fold the bottom over the mixture, making sure it's snug but not overly tight. Continue rolling it to form a somewhat flat, elongated shape around the cassava.
Fold the sides under to seal in the mixture and give it its traditional log-like shape. As an option, you can tie them in pairs using a strip of banana leaf, with the flaps facing each other.
Step 6: Steam the suman
Fill your steamer with water and bring it to a boil. Arrange the wrapped suman in the steamer basket.
Cover and steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the suman is firm and thoroughly cooked. Regularly check and refill the water as needed.
Allow you Ube Suman sa Latik to cool slightly before unwrapping. Sprinkle some more latik or enjoy them as is.
Recipe FAQs
Ube Suman is a Filipino rice cake made with glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour mixed with ube (purple yam), giving it a distinct purple color. It's often wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, resulting in a sweet, sticky, and chewy dessert.
Latik is made by simmering coconut cream until the oil separates from the browned coconut solids. These toasted coconut curds are often used as a topping for various Filipino desserts, adding a rich, caramel-like flavor and slightly crunchy texture. Another version of latik is a syrupy caramel sauce made with coconut milk and panutsa, often used as a sweet glaze or topping for desserts.
No, glutinous rice flour is important for achieving the sticky, chewy texture of suman. Regular rice flour won't produce the same result.
More suman varieties
- Suman Malagkit: Sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and sugar, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled until tender and chewy.
- Suman Kamoteng Kahoy: This Cassava Suman is made with grated cassava, coconut milk, and sugar, then wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
- Suman sa Ibus: A traditional rice cake made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, wrapped in palm leaves, and then steamed. It's usually cylindrical and served with a sprinkle of sugar or a drizzle of latik sauce.
- Suman sa Lihiya: Made with glutinous rice treated with lye water, wrapped in banana leaves and served with latik sauce.
- Tupig: Grilled sticky rice made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar, then wrapped in banana leaves. It's known for its smoky flavor and chewy texture.
- Suman moron: A chocolate sticky rice cake from Leyte.
Other merienda recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Ube Suman sa Latik
Equipment
- Steamer
- Skillet for the latik
Ingredients
For the Latik
- 1 (14-oz) can coconut cream
For the Ube Suman
- 2¼ cups glutinous rice flour more as needed; see note
- 1 cup ube or purple yam (about 8 ounces) cooked & mashed; see note
- 1 (14-oz) can coconut milk (about 1⅔ cups)
- 1 cup brown sugar (about 7 ounces) light or dark
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract or flavoring more to taste
- A pinch of salt
- Banana leaves (24 6x8-inch pieces)
Instructions
- Make the latik: Begin by boiling coconut cream in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently until the oil separates and brown curds form. Strain the curds from the oil, saving both for later use.
- Prepare the banana leaves: Rinse or wipe your banana leaves, cut the central rib, and pass them over an open flame to make them flexible. Cut them into pieces into 6x8-inch rectangles .
- Combine the ingredients: In a bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, mashed purple yam, coconut milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ube extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until you achieve a thick paste, adding more glutinous rice flour as needed. It's okay if the mixture isn't completely smooth because of the ube.
- Grease the banana leaves: Lay a banana leaf on a flat surface horizontally. With the coconut oil residue from making the latik, grease the lower area where you'll put the mixture on.
- Wrap the suman: Place about 3 tablespoons of the suman mixture on the lower part of the leaf, leaving space on the sides. Shape it into a log about 4 inches long. Sprinkle some latik over the mixture. Fold the bottom over the mixture, making sure it's snug but not overly tight. Continue rolling it to form a somewhat flat, elongated shape around the cassava. Fold the sides under to seal in the mixture and give it its traditional log-like shape. As an option, you can tie them in pairs using a strip of banana leaf, with the flaps facing each other.
- Steam the suman: Fill your steamer with water and bring it to a boil. Arrange the wrapped suman in the steamer basket. Cover and steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the suman is firm and thoroughly cooked. Regularly check and refill the water as needed.
- Serve: Allow you Ube Suman sa Latik to cool slightly before unwrapping. Sprinkle some more latik or enjoy them as is.
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sticky rice flour or "malagkit," this type of flour turns chewy and sticky when cooked.
- Ube or Purple yam: If you can't find fresh or frozen ube, you can use purple sweet potatoes, just as I did, that have been boiled and mashed. Ube Halaya is another option, but reduce the sugar in the recipe by ¼ cup.
Liz says
I am making this tonight for my family. We love everything ube!
Nora Reyes says
Glad to hear that. Thank you, Liz!