What is the difference between puto and Puto Calasiao?

The classic puto recipe normally calls for regular rice flour. The puto Calasiao recipe uses malagkit rice or glutinous rice for its flour . This results in the sticky texture of the puto Calasiao that's not present in the usual puto you make.

What is the English name for Puto Calasiao?

Calasiao puto is described as the town's " white gold ." Calasiao puto is a bite-size, soft rice cake made from semi-glutinous rice that is fermented in earthen jars. It is produced mainly in Barangay Dinalaoan.

How many days does Puto Calasiao last?

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) said that Calasiao puto normally has a shelf life of two days at room temperature (30 C), and six days if refrigerated at 16 C . This is one reason why the rice cakes hand carried by travellers abroad had to be immediately consumed upon reaching their destinations.

What is the Puto Calasiao delicacy?

Made from ground rice flour, water, sugar, and yeast, the batter is left to ferment overnight. This process imparts a unique lightness and sponginess to the finished product. The resulting cakes are small, bite-sized pieces, usually in a distinct round shape and sometimes wrapped in banana leaves .

What is the curse word puto?

Puto is the masculine form of the multi-functional Spanish puta, meaning “prostitute.” It's used as a slur against people who are gay and an insult to anyone perceived as weak or contemptible . Content warning: this article deals with extremely offensive language and sensitive topics.

What are the two types of puto?

Puto dahon or puto dahon saging - a puto from the Hiligaynon people that is traditionally cooked wrapped in a banana leaf. Puto kutsinta (typically just called kutsinta or cuchinta)- a steamed rice cake similar to putong puti, but is made using lye.

Why is it called puto Filipino?

The word puto is derived from the Malay word puttu, which literally means “portioned.” The regional variants of the steamed cake take their names from either their appearance or their most notable feature.

What is puto in India?

Puto is prepared from year-old rice, leavened and steamed to form rice cake . Pitha is the traditional dish of Odisha, India. It is made by washing and soaking rice and black gram for 4 h and then ground to paste. The batter is kept for fermentation for 5–6 h.

What is the puto capital of the Philippines?

Calasiao is synonymous with its delectable puto, a sweet treat considered to be the best in the Philippines. The town celebrates the Puto Festival annually in honor of its most popular product.

What is the difference between Puto Maya and biko?

Puto maya is characteristically al dente, compared to the mushier texture of biko . Biko can also be prepared with other common Filipino ingredients.

What is the puto festival in Calasiao?

The Puto Festival is a yearly occasion that acclaims a local delicacy referred to by its well known name as Puto . The Calasiao puto is a rice cake that is notable wherever all through the Philippines for its condense in-the-mouth feeling. It is secretly sold along the streets going to Sr. Divino Tesoro.

What is puto and Kutsinta?

Puto cuchinta or kutsinta is a type of steamed rice cake (puto) found throughout the Philippines . It is made from a mixture of tapioca or rice flour, brown sugar and lye, enhanced with yellow food coloring or annatto extract, and steamed in small ramekins.

Puto Calasiao Recipe - Today's Delight (2024)

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Puto Calasiao are bite size, sticky, white rice cakes that originated from the province of Calasiao, Pangasinan. This town is famous for puto calasiao, different flavored rice cakes (kakanin), kutsinta and sweets.

Because of its popularity, it is not only sold in Calasiao but as far as Manila. Many street vendors selling puto calasiao lined the freeway going to Bagiuo City.

It is serve as a snack and very addicting. You can easily munch on many pieces in one sitting.

Today, puto calasiao are made in rainbow of colors and different flavors with or without cheese.

Flavored Puto Calasiao.

You’ll be surprise that this puto is made from rice. Rice is abundant in Asia, so you’ll find many versions of rice cakes in Asian countries.

Traditionally, puto calasiao is made from fermented rice, water and sugar.

It doesn’t involve many process to make this delicious bite size rice cakes but fermentation takes time.

Rice is soaked in water and run through a rice milling machine to achieve a smoother texture. Once all the ingredients are mixed, it is then fermented in earthen jars for a few days.

If you go to youtube and watch how they make it, you will be amaze with the enormous molds they use and how quickly they pour the mixture into each mold.

No wonder why they’re known as the Rice Cake Capital of the Philippines.

So, if you are visiting the Philippines and going up North, don’t forget to visit or stop by Calasiao, Pangasinan and have this inexpensive delicious goodies.

If you’ve never been there, you’ll be surprise to see a street packed with tiny stalls, all of them selling this puto and other popular Filipino kakanins. This is the livelihood of most of the residents in the area.

I bet you, in no time you would devour many pieces before leaving the place. Also, don't forget to purchase bags of Puto Calasiao to munch on along the way.

My Mom loves Ube flavor!

Tips in Making Puto Calasiao

I am not an expert in fermentation instead I am using yeast to speed up the process. With limited knowledge on fermentation, I can’t suggest having this mixture sit for days in room temperature to make an authentic puto.

If you want to make it the traditional way, then this recipe is not for you. Also, I don’t think I have the patience to wait days to satisfy my craving.

1. Combine plain rice and glutinous rice in a container. Pour enough water to cover rice and soak for 3 hours. I used jasmine rice.

2. Use a spoon to remove water and set aside. Water will be used while blending.

3. Place rice mixture in blender and liquefy mixture adding a few spoons of water until the right batter consistency is reach. I showed the consistency in my video.

4. Transfer mixture in a bowl, add sugar and mix well. Then stir-in yeast.

5. Set it aside for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature covered with saran wrap. Note: I have A/C in the house, so place it in a cooler area, but not the fridge.

6. Lightly grease or spray each mold with oil.

7. Pour mixture in each mold but not full. It will rise a little bit.

Bite sized rice cakes in mould.

8. Steam for about 13 to 18 minutes. Top it with cheese if you like.

9. Cover steamer lid with cheese cloth to absorb dripping droplets of water from condensation.

10. Use the toothpick test. Dip toothpick at the center of puto to check if done. If it comes out clean then remove from steamer.

11. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

12. Remove puto from mold using a toothpick or fork.

13. Top it with grated coconut, if desired. Enjoy!

Top puto calasiao with grated coconut or cheese.

How to Make Puto Calasiao Recipe

So if you've been craving for puto calasiao, try this simple and easy recipe. Watch my video “How to make Puto Calasiao Recipe”. Magluto na tayo!

If you have a better recipe please share it. Let me know how I can improve this recipe. Thank you for visiting.

Puto Calasiao Mold

Many are asking where to buy this puto calasiao mold. I acquired these molds from my mom’s catering business ages ago. I’m not even sure if it is still available in the Philippines.

Anyway, to give you guys an idea I measured the mold. It is roughly 1 ¾ inches (top diameter) x ½ inch (height) x 1 inch (bottom diameter).

Luckily, I have about a hundred of these molds which is so convenient when steaming these mini puto.

I researched Amazon and found some mini silicon liners that might work. I’ve never used silicon to steam puto but I’ve done it with vegetables.

Food grade silicon is safe to use up to 572 degrees F so it should work for steaming puto.

By using individual molds, you can fit more in a steamer. If you plan to buy the cylinder silicon mold, first, measure your steamer if it fits.

These molds are the closest in size to mine. My molds are still smaller though.

So you need to adjust steaming time and the best way to check is doing the toothpick test. I hope this helps.

Recipe