Tupig (rice cake) is a delicacy mainly produced and sold in the northern Philippines like Pangasinan, Ilocos, Isabela and my hometown, Nueva Vizcaya. Although there are many variations to this recipe, the basic ingredients include glutinous flour, molasses (sugar), coconut milk and grated young coconut. The ingredients are mixed and rolled into banana leaves then grilled in live or burning charcoal.
This native food finds its market to travelers going in and out of Baguio City through Pangasinan and into Cagayan Valley via Bambang and Sta. Fe towns of Nueva Vizcaya. It is something you couldn’t miss when you travel up north because of the many vendors that swarm public and private transports on every pit stop. It is sold at very reasonable price, usually at a hundred pesos, that ranges from seven to ten packs (with each pack containing 5-7 pieces). However, travelers must also be cautious when choosing to buy from hawkers because you might end up buying more banana leaves than the tupig itself.
There are many blogs offering instructions on how to make tupig. But I’ll blog what my mother did.
Glutinous flour (5 cups
Brown sugar (3 cups
Coconut milk (2 cups
Grated young coconut
She just mixed all the ingredients in a pan then rolled and wrapped it with fresh banana leaves. The raw tupig (that looks like suman) is then grilled into live charcoal. And that’s another thing I like about this delicacy: I love the enchantingly flavorful aroma of burning banana leaves and raw tupig.
My mother made us some tupig yesterday and I brought some as baon at work. Its been quite a time since I savored this food. So next time you travel somewhere north. Take the time to try the native tupig, you’ll fill your stomachs and help out the vendors' livelihood as well.
Wow,I love tupig. It's been a long time since I've had one of these. I hope your mother makes some more so you could bring some at the office.
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