Suman (food)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Suman is a rice cake originating from the Philippines. It is made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, and often steamed in banana leaves. It is served wrapped in buli or buri palm (Corypha) leaves and usually eaten sprinkled with sugar.
[edit] Varieties
There are numerous varieties of suman, with almost every town or locality having their special one. Some are described below[1]:
Suman sa Ibus - An ubiquitous variety of suman in the Philippines, the glutinous rice is washed, and is then mixed with salt and coconut milk. The mixture is poured over pre-made coil containers of young palm leaves called Ibus, and fixed with the leaf's central shaft. This is then steamed using water mixed with "luyang dilaw" (Turmeric) - giving it that distinctly yellow colour - and served either with a mixture of shredded coconut and sugar, or latik - ground glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and sweetened with sugar.
Suman sa Inantala - The ingredients are similar to the Ibus variety, but the Inantala differs in that the mixture itself is cooked, and then poured over a small square mat cut from banana leaves.
Suman sa Lihiya - Soaked glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk is treated with lye, wrapped in banana leaves, and boiled for two hours. It is served especially with either of two varieties of latik - the brown one which has been darkened with extended cooking, and has a stronger coconut flavor; and the white one which is more delicate.
Suman sa Binuo - A rare variety of suman, the glutinous rice is soaked, milled, mixed with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in the leaves of the Tagbak plant, and steamed. The leaves give this variety of suman a uniquely balmy, minty flavor, and the suman itself is chewier than the whole-rice varieties.
Sumang Kamoteng Kahoy - Cassava is finely ground, mixed with coconut milk, sugar, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed.
Sumang Wilmacale - Cassava suman of more solid consistency, sweetened with brown sugar and cocojam, steamed in banana leaves and served skewered.
[edit] Suman Wrapping
Suman wrapping is a unique art itself, and can be traced to pre-colonial roots which have had contact with Indian traditions. Wrappers utilize a wide variety of indigenous materials like the leaves of the palm, banana, anahaw, fresh buho bamboo, coconut shells, and others. Some wrappings are simple folds like in the Binuo and the Kamoteng Kahoy resulting in rectuangular sumans, and others in vertical coils like in the Inantala giving it a tubular form, some in pyramid-like Balisungsong shape. Others are eaten like ice cream - with cones made from banana leaves, and still others, in very complex geometric patterns like the Pusu (heart) - woven to the shape of a banana blossom (which in the Philippines is referred to as the banana plant's heart); or the Pinagi (from the word "pagi" - stingray), a complex octahedral star.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Nocheseda, Elmer I. IN PRAISE OF SUMAN PAST. Tagalog Dictionary. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
- ^ Nocheseda, Elmer I. IN PRAISE OF SUMAN PAST. Tagalog Dictionary. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
 |
This food-and-drink-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
