Pitis as it is locally named is a steamed pastry made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with loads of sweetened grated coconut meat. Wrapped in cut banana leaves to retain its suppleness and moisture, a pleasing way to consume such unpretentious dessert.
Long, sticky, sweet. Whichever aspects of your life you’d associate with the three adjectives, may them all come true.

is a sweet baked rice delicacy serve during festive seasons like Hari Raya

These delicacy is very similar to the classic french madelleines but still with that unique twist. Some would use royal true orange or any fruit juice to make their baulos. The classic way is cooking this is in improvised moulds and baking them in pugons. To make it truly distinct, I would suggest using coconut milk or even incorporating dessicated coconut.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour (sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/4 cup royal true orange

 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

 2 tablespoons cooking oil

 2 tbsp dessicated coconut

 Method: Beat the eggs with an electric hand-mixer until frothy and then add sugar. Continue to beat until the sugar is well dissolved and the mixture becomes sticky. Add in the vanilla essence and fold in the flour gradually and then add in the cooking oil/butter and the royal true orange. Continue to beat the batter with the hand-mixer until well-blended. Fold in the dessicated coconut. Grease the baulo moulds and fill up to the surface level. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degree Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove baulo from the moulds and cool on wire racks. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Piyanggang is a light green chicken dish made of the same pulp used in the Tiyula Sug but with added coconut milk to make it creamier.

 

Tiyula Sug is a beef-based soup that is dark green in color. The burnt coconut and turmeric give this dish its color, which may seem visually odd to some. I can assure you that it is gastronomically satisfying, especially on a rainy day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered burned coconuts
• 1/2 kg beef sliced into cubes
• 1 piece of shallot/onion – chopped
• 1 thumb sized ginger – peeled and chopped
• 3 pc. garlic – minced
• 3 pieces ripe tomatoes – chopped and deseeded
• 10 red chilies – chopped
• 1 stalk of lemon grass – tied
• 1 beef bullion cube
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• salt
• hot water
• cooking oil

Method

• Powdered burnt coconut meat preparation :
• Halve a fresh mature coconut. Separate the meat out of the shell.
• Grill. Do not let it catch fire.
• Refrain from turning it over often. Let it burn but not charcoal burn.
• Take off the grill and scrape any burnt surface off. Let it cool.
• Once cooled, chop into pieces and pound heavily. Keep it in airtight container till needed.
• First, marinate beef chunks. In a bowl mix 1/2 cup of powdered burnt coconut meat and beef chunks – rubbing profusely until fully coated. Marinate for 30 minutes. Cover and set aside
• Tiyula Itum:
• 1.) Heat the pan in low heat. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of oil.
• 2.) Sauté the onion first then garlic until its color turn to brown.
• 3.) Add ginger and tomatoes. Stir and add in beef bullion cube.
• 4.) Add the lemongrass, chili and black pepper. Mix them well.
• 5.) Place the marinated meat on the sautéed spices.
• 6.) Add water but just enough to cover the beef.
• 7.) Add 1/4 cup of powdered burnt coconut meat and stir well. Cover and let simmer until meat softens.
• 8.) Add salt(optional)
• Best served with hot rice

daral – (da-rál; Ta’u-sug, Joloanon, Suluanon and Iranun snack) [n.] coconut sweetmeat crêpe \rolled rice crêpe filled with hinti (coconut sweetmeat); The rice grains are ground into flour then mixed with little amount of water to become rice batter.

Ingredients150 g (1 ¼ cups) Plain Flour
¼ tsp Sea Salt
1 Large Egg, beaten
150 ml Thin Coconut Milk (mix 100ml coconut milk with 50ml water)
100 ml Pandan Juice/McKormick pandan flavouring (optional)
65 ml Water
1 Tbsp Sunflower or Canola Oil
Coconut Filling
Oil for greasing

Pandan Juice:

In a small food processor or blender, process about 6-8 large Pandan leaves with 150 ml of water. Pour through a fine strainer and discard solids. Measure out the required amount of juice as specified in the recipe.

Coconut Filling:

Combine 100 g of sugar and 75 ml water. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken and become syrupy or caramelized. Add 1 knotted Pandan leaf and 100 g of grated coconut and continue to cook over a low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the coconut filling is thick and glossy. Most of the liquid should have evaporated. Cool and use as desired.

Crepes:

Sift flour and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coconut milk and Pandan juice. Using a wooden or whisk, gradually incorporate the flour into the liquid, making smooth batter free from lumps. Thin the batter down with the additional 65 ml of water and stir the oil. Mix well. Cover the bowl and allow the batter to stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

To fry crepes, heat a small non-stick frying pan or an 8 inches crepe pan over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with oil and ensure that the pan is sufficiently hot (a drop of water should sizzle instantly). Stir batter. Pour slightly less than ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) batter into the pan and immediately rotate the pan so that the batter covers the base with a thin layer. Allow batter to set and just begin to brown. Flip the crepe over and allow the other side to cook, just for a few seconds.

Turn the crepe out onto a plate. Continue making the crepes, stacking the finished ones on top of each other as you go along. As the batter tends to thicken as you cook the crepes, you might need to thin it down with a tablespoon or two of water as you go.

Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the crepe, fold both sides towards the middle and roll the crepe away from you, neatly enclosing the filling and creating a small parcel.

Makes 10-12 crepes

Tausug refers to people living in Mindanao areas, Palawan and even Indonesia. These people belong to the Moro Group. They are known to be a strong ethnic group but they are also known for their tasty, mouthwatering and delectable foods.

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These people are wearing their native costume which is called the “Batawi”.

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Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton