Puto Perfection: Mastering the Art of Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes

Puto, the quintessential Filipino steamed rice cake, is a beloved snack and dessert enjoyed across the Philippines. Its soft, slightly sweet flavor and fluffy texture make it a perfect accompaniment to savory dishes like dinuguan (pork blood stew) or pancit (noodles). While seemingly simple, mastering the art of making puto requires understanding a few key techniques and variations. This comprehensive guide will take you through everything you need to know, from the basic recipe to advanced tips and creative adaptations.

What is Puto?

Puto is a steamed rice cake made from ground rice (galapong), sugar, and sometimes a small amount of baking powder or yeast. The batter is typically steamed in small molds, often lined with banana leaves, resulting in a round or cupcake-like shape. Puto comes in various sizes, colors, and flavors, reflecting the regional diversity of Filipino cuisine. From the plain white puto to the vibrant purple ube puto and the cheesy puto cheese, there’s a puto variety to satisfy every palate.

The Basic Puto Recipe

This is the foundational recipe for classic white puto. With this under your belt, you can easily adapt it to create countless variations.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or rice flour/galapong – see note below)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk (or water)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil

Note on Flour: While this recipe uses all-purpose flour for convenience, traditionally, puto is made with galapong, which is ground glutinous rice flour. Galapong gives puto a slightly chewier and more authentic texture. You can find galapong in most Asian grocery stores, or you can make your own by soaking glutinous rice overnight and then grinding it using a blender or food processor.

Equipment:

• Steamer
• Puto molds (small cupcake liners or silicone molds work well)
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Steamer: Fill the steamer with water, ensuring the water level is below the steamer rack. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Line the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to prevent condensation from dripping onto the puto.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the milk (or water) and melted butter (or oil) to the dry ingredients, whisking until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can result in tough puto. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick.
4. Prepare the Molds: Grease the puto molds with a little oil or line them with cupcake liners. This will prevent the puto from sticking.
5. Fill the Molds: Pour the batter into the prepared molds, filling them about 3/4 full. This will allow the puto to rise during steaming.
6. Steam the Puto: Carefully place the molds into the prepared steamer, making sure they are evenly spaced. Cover the steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes, or until the puto are cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool and Serve: Once the puto are cooked, remove them from the steamer and let them cool slightly in the molds before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for Perfect Puto

Making perfect puto is all about the details. Here are some essential tips to ensure your puto turns out light, fluffy, and delicious:

• Use Fresh Baking Powder: Baking powder is the key to achieving a light and airy texture. Make sure your baking powder is fresh, as old baking powder will lose its potency and result in flat, dense puto.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can make the puto tough. Mix the batter until just combined, and don’t worry about a few small lumps.
• Steam at the Right Temperature: Steaming at a consistent medium heat is crucial for even cooking. If the heat is too high, the puto may crack. If the heat is too low, the puto may not rise properly.
• Prevent Condensation: Lining the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth is essential to prevent condensation from dripping onto the puto. Condensation can make the puto soggy and unevenly cooked.
• Don’t Open the Steamer Too Often: Opening the steamer during cooking can release steam and lower the temperature, which can affect the puto’s texture. Resist the urge to peek until the puto are almost done.
• Use Proper Molds: Using the right type of molds can also affect the outcome. Traditional puto molds are small and round, but you can also use cupcake liners or silicone molds. If using silicone molds, be sure to grease them well to prevent sticking.
• Experiment with Galapong: While all-purpose flour is a convenient substitute, using galapong (ground rice flour) will give your puto a more authentic flavor and texture. If you can find galapong, try using it in place of all-purpose flour for a truly traditional puto experience.

Puto Variations: A World of Flavors

Once you’ve mastered the basic puto recipe, the possibilities are endless. Here are some popular variations to try:

1. Puto Cheese

Perhaps the most popular variation, puto cheese features a small cube of cheese (usually cheddar or quickmelt) placed on top of each puto before steaming. The cheese adds a savory and slightly salty contrast to the sweet puto, creating a delightful flavor combination.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the basic puto batter as directed.
2. Cut cheese into small cubes.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared molds.
4. Place a cube of cheese on top of each puto.
5. Steam as directed.

2. Ube Puto

Ube puto gets its vibrant purple color and distinctive flavor from ube (purple yam). Ube is a popular ingredient in Filipino desserts, known for its sweet, earthy, and slightly nutty taste.

Ingredients:

• Basic puto ingredients
• 1/2 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam) or 2 teaspoons ube extract

Instructions:

1. Prepare the basic puto batter as directed.
2. Stir in the ube halaya or ube extract until well combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared molds.
4. Steam as directed.

3. Puto Flan (Leche Puto)

Puto flan, also known as leche puto, is a decadent combination of two classic Filipino desserts: puto and leche flan. A layer of creamy leche flan is steamed on top of the puto, creating a rich and indulgent treat.

Ingredients:

• Basic puto ingredients
• Leche flan ingredients (see recipe below)

Leche Flan Recipe:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Leche Flan Instructions:

1. Make the Caramel: In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and turns into a golden brown caramel.
2. Pour into Molds: Carefully pour the caramel into the bottom of your puto molds.
3. Prepare the Custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Puto Flan Instructions:

1. Pour the leche flan mixture over the caramel in the molds.
2. Carefully spoon the prepared puto batter on top of the leche flan mixture. Leave some space for expansion.
3. Steam as directed for a longer period (approximately 25-30 minutes), until both the puto and the flan are set.
4. Cool completely before inverting onto a plate.

4. Puto Bumbong

Puto bumbong is a special type of puto traditionally made during the Christmas season in the Philippines. It’s made from purple glutinous rice that’s steamed in bamboo tubes, giving it a distinctive aroma and flavor. It’s typically served with grated coconut, butter, and muscovado sugar.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups purple glutinous rice (pirurutong)
• Water for soaking
• Grated coconut, butter, and muscovado sugar for serving

Instructions:

1. Soak the purple glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Grind the soaked rice using a stone grinder or a food processor until it forms a smooth paste.
3. Traditionally, the mixture is steamed in bamboo tubes, but if you don’t have those, you can use small cups or molds.
4. Steam the mixture until cooked through.
5. Serve hot with grated coconut, butter, and muscovado sugar.

5. Puto Pao

Puto Pao is a unique variation that combines the soft, fluffy texture of puto with a savory filling, similar to siopao (steamed buns). The filling typically consists of seasoned ground pork or chicken.

Ingredients:

• Basic puto ingredients
• Savory filling (ground pork or chicken, seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, onions, and other spices)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the savory filling by sautéing ground pork or chicken with garlic, onions, and other desired seasonings. Cook until the meat is cooked through.
2. Prepare the basic puto batter as directed.
3. Spoon a small amount of puto batter into the prepared molds.
4. Place a spoonful of the savory filling on top of the batter.
5. Cover the filling with another layer of puto batter.
6. Steam as directed.

6. Chocolate Puto

For chocolate lovers, chocolate puto is a delightful twist on the classic recipe. Cocoa powder or melted chocolate is added to the batter to create a rich and decadent treat.

Ingredients:

• Basic puto ingredients
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder or 2 ounces melted chocolate

Instructions:

1. Prepare the basic puto batter as directed.
2. Stir in the cocoa powder or melted chocolate until well combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared molds.
4. Steam as directed.

7. Puto with Salted Egg

Similar to puto cheese, this variation uses salted egg as a topping. The salty and savory flavor of the salted egg complements the sweetness of the puto, creating a unique and interesting flavor profile.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the basic puto batter as directed.
2. Slice salted eggs into small pieces.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared molds.
4. Place a slice of salted egg on top of each puto.
5. Steam as directed.

Serving Suggestions and Pairings

Puto is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many ways. Here are some popular serving suggestions and pairings:

• With Dinuguan: This is a classic Filipino pairing. The savory and slightly spicy dinuguan (pork blood stew) is perfectly complemented by the sweet and fluffy puto.
• With Pancit: Another popular pairing, puto adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory flavors of pancit (noodles).
• As a Snack: Puto is a great snack on its own, especially when topped with cheese, salted egg, or other toppings.
• As a Dessert: Puto can also be served as a dessert, especially the sweeter variations like ube puto or puto flan.
• With Coffee or Tea: Puto is a delicious accompaniment to coffee or tea.

Troubleshooting

Even with the best recipe and instructions, things can sometimes go wrong. Here are some common problems and solutions:

• Puto is Dense and Heavy: This could be due to overmixing the batter, using old baking powder, or not steaming at a high enough temperature. Make sure to use fresh baking powder, avoid overmixing, and steam at a consistent medium heat.
• Puto is Cracked: This could be due to steaming at too high a temperature. Reduce the heat to medium and make sure the steamer is properly vented.
• Puto is Soggy: This could be due to condensation dripping onto the puto. Line the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to absorb the condensation.
• Puto Sticks to the Molds: Make sure to grease the molds well before pouring in the batter. You can also line the molds with cupcake liners to prevent sticking.

Storing Puto

Puto is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be stored for a few days. To store puto, let it cool completely and then place it in an airtight container. Store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, steam the puto for a few minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave it for a short time, but be careful not to overcook it, as this can make it tough.

Conclusion

Puto is a beloved Filipino delicacy that’s easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients and techniques. Whether you prefer the classic white puto or a more adventurous variation like ube puto or puto flan, there’s a puto recipe out there for everyone. With this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of making perfect puto every time. So, gather your ingredients, fire up your steamer, and get ready to enjoy the delicious taste of homemade puto!