Filipino Ginataang Bilo-Bilo Rice Pudding

About This Recipe

Ginataang bilo-bilo is a Filipino dessert soup built on coconut milk, sago pearls, sweet potato, and small glutinous rice-flour dumplings called bilo-bilo, which get their name from the rolling motion used to shape them. It's traditionally eaten warm as a merienda (afternoon snack) or dessert, especially during rainy season when a warm coconut-milk dish feels particularly comforting. The bilo-bilo dumplings are simple, just glutinous rice flour and water rolled into small balls, and they cook directly in the sweetened coconut milk until they float and turn slightly translucent and chewy. Root vegetables like sweet potato and taro add heartiness and a starchy sweetness, while ripe jackfruit strips contribute a distinct floral aroma that's instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with Filipino desserts. This dish rewards patience with the coconut milk, a low simmer keeps it from curdling or scorching, and it's meant to be eaten warm in a bowl, spoon in hand, rather than served cold like a Western pudding.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 cupglutinous rice flour
• 0.5 cupwater(for the dough)
• 4 cupscoconut milk
• 1 cupcoconut cream
• 1sweet potato(peeled and cubed)
• 1taro root(peeled and cubed, optional)
• 0.5 cupsmall tapioca pearls (sago)
• 0.75 cupgranulated sugar
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupripe jackfruit(sliced into strips, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dumplings

   Mix glutinous rice flour with water until it forms a smooth, pliable dough. Roll into small balls, about the size of a marble.

2. 2

   Cook the tapioca pearls

   In a separate pot, cook sago pearls in boiling water until translucent, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. 3

   Simmer the root vegetables

   In a large pot, bring coconut milk to a gentle simmer. Add sweet potato and taro, and cook 10 minutes until just tender.

4. 4

   Add the dumplings

   Drop in the bilo-bilo dumplings and simmer gently until they float to the surface, about 5-7 minutes.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir in sugar, salt, coconut cream, cooked sago and jackfruit strips. Simmer 3 more minutes, then serve warm in bowls.

Variations

• •

  Add ripe saba banana slices along with the sweet potato for extra sweetness and texture.

• •

  Use purple yam (ube) instead of taro for a vibrant color and different flavor note.

• •

  Make individual dumplings colorful by kneading a few drops of food coloring into small portions of the dough before rolling.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; the pudding thickens as it cools. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen it back up.

Frequently Asked Questions