#FoodMemories: Ginataang malagkit at munggo

MANILA, Philippines – I don’t know what it is about the weather that brings back childhood memories.

When monsoon rains come in the afternoon, the thought of a bowl of something warm, creamy and sweet brings a smile to my face. As children, in weather like this, my cousins and I would eagerly await our bowl of ginataang munggo at malagkit — sticky and almost velvety, smelling of freshly-squeezed coconut cream.

My maternal grandmother was a native of Quezon and I will always remember her for 4 delicacies: sinukmani (glutinous rice cake), nilupak ng saba, kamoteng kahoy at niyog (bananas, cassava and grated coconut mash), minatamis na ube (sweetened purple yam) and this — a porridge of sticky rice and toasted red mung beans.

What made this delicacy different was that its preparation triggered the senses of smell and hearing.

After the red mung beans were pan-toasted (sinangag sa kawali), what followed were the snap-popping sound and the nutty fragrance of hot beans cracked with a mortar and pestle. After this, my lola winnowed the cracked beans using a bilao (flat winnowing basket) to let the thin film of skin just fall to the ground.

This whole preparation — practically a ritual — was part and parcel of the eating enjoyment. 

Shortly after, we were rewarded with a tummy-filling merienda. With newfound energy, my cousins and I would run off to the garden or the streets for a round of patintero and habulan. 

Life was good. I am now sharing the recipe with you.

Here’s how to make Ginataang Malagkit at Munggo:

Ingredients

• Coconut cream, first press from 2 coconuts: about 2-2 ¼ cups
• 2 ½ cups glutinous rice, soaked for at least 1 hour
• 2 ½ cups water
• ¾ to 1 c red mung beans, toasted and cracked
• Sugar to taste 
• Optional: 1-2 pandan leaves tied into a knot 

1. In a dry pan, “stir” red mung beans constantly over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes. The beans will turn light to dark, almost maroon in color. 

2. If you have no flat winnowing basket (bilao), get a thick kitchen towel and, using your pestle or rolling pin, roll over the beans back and forth until they crack into small pieces. The thin skin will stick to the cloth.

You can also shake the cracked beans in a wire strainer to let the thin skin fall. Set beans aside.

3. In a deep pot, put soaked sticky rice, cracked beans, pandan leaves and water and put over medium heat. When it begins to boil, put in low heat.

Add water if you have to, ½ c at a time. Stir every now and then to prevent the bottom from burning. After 20-30 minutes, the bulk would’ve doubled.

4. When the rice and mung beans have cooked, remove the pandan leaves. Add coco cream and let it simmer on medium heat.

After 10 minutes, add sugar to taste. I only use about ½ -3/4 c sugar because the coco cream itself is sweet. You can add sugar at the serving table when needed.

Simmer and stir for another 10 minutes until porridge is creamy.

Ladle in bowls and serve while hot. – Rappler.com

Cooking is one of Marie Pascual’s biggest expressions of love. She is a high-ranking executive in a retail company on weekdays. On weekends, she cooks up a storm for the 3 men in her life: her husband of 21 years Emi and her two college boys Jam and Miggy.

It is this same passion and curiosity that takes their family to places that are not normally included in a traveler’s itinerary.

Marie is a regular contributor to Appetite Magazine. Her food blog www.kitchenkitchiekoo.com is currently undergoing renovation so she can share more of her flavor adventures.