Filipino Puto with Caramelized Onion Topping

About This Recipe

Puto is the Philippines' classic steamed rice cake -- light, slightly sweet, and pillowy-soft, traditionally made from fermented or instant rice flour batter steamed in small molds until they puff up and split slightly on top, a sign they're properly cooked. This savory-sweet variation tops the finished cakes with deeply caramelized onions, a modern twist on the more common cheese or salted egg toppings. The technique for good puto is in the batter and steaming: it needs enough leavening (baking powder, or traditional fermentation) to puff properly, and the steamer must stay at a strong, consistent boil throughout so the cakes cook through evenly without turning dense or gummy. Overfilling the molds or opening the steamer lid too often are the most common reasons home versions come out flat. Puto is served as a snack or alongside savory dishes like dinuguan, where its mild sweetness balances rich, spiced mains. This onion-topped version works equally well as a savory-leaning teatime snack.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 cupsrice flour
• 0.5 cupsugar
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 1 cupcoconut milk
• 0.5 cupwater
• 1egg
• 0.25 tspsalt
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1large onion(thinly sliced)
• 1 tspsugar(for caramelizing onions)
• 2 tbspgrated cheese(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Caramelize the onions

   Melt butter in a pan over medium-low heat, add onion and sugar, cook 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and jammy. Set aside.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Whisk rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add coconut milk, water, and egg, whisking until smooth with no lumps.

3. 3

   Rest the batter

   Let the batter rest 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Set up the steamer

   Bring water to a strong boil in a steamer. Grease small puto molds or muffin tins.

5. 5

   Fill and top

   Fill molds two-thirds full with batter, then top each with a spoonful of caramelized onion and a pinch of cheese if using.

6. 6

   Steam

   Steam covered over high heat 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops have split slightly. Let cool 5 minutes before unmolding.

Variations

• •

  Top with grated cheese and a slice of salted egg for the traditional savory-sweet combination.

• •

  Use ube extract in the batter for a purple-hued version.

• •

  Skip the onion topping for classic plain puto, served alongside dinuguan or pancit.

Storage

Store cooled puto in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat by re-steaming for a few minutes to restore softness.

Frequently Asked Questions