Ginataang halo-halo is rich, creamy and loaded with coconut flavor. Made of glutinous rice balls, sago, tropical fruits, and tubers, it makes a delicious snack, dessert or breakfast!
Since it’s Lenten season and ginataang halo-halo is especially popular during Holy Week, I thought I’ll update the recipe with new photos and cooking tips. It was first published in 2013 and badly needed a makeover. 🙂
What is Ginataang Halo-Halo
Ginataang halo-halo is a popular Filipino delicacy made of sticky rice balls stewed in coconut milk. It’s widely enjoyed as a snack, dessert or breakfast throughout the year as well as a staple dish during Lenten season when Catholics tend to fast and abstain from eating meat.
While the bilo-bilo is the central ingredient, the sweet stew may also include sago pearls, tropical fruits such as jackfruit and saba bananas, and root crops such as kamote (local yam), ube (purple yam), and taro (gabi), depending on the regional version or the availability of ingredients.
Along with some variations in ingredients, the name of the dish may also differ from one area of the country to the next. I am a Kapampangan, and we call it sampelot, but it’s also known as binignit, alfajor, linugaw, ginataang bilo-bilo, ginatan, kamio, kiniler or tambo-tambong.
Tips on How to Make Ginatan
- I use already-cooked sago sold in bottles to simplify the process, but if you prefer homemade, you can check out my tips on how to cook the dry pearls.
- I also use canned jackfruit strips but feel to use fresh fruit if available. If using the canned or bottled sago or langka, make sure to drain well as they’re usually packed in heavy syrup.
- Prepare the ingredients into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
- I like the creamy and mildly sweet flavor of camote, but you can also substitute taro, purple yam or sweet potatoes if you like.
- To pump up color and boost flavor, add a few drops of ube or langka extract to half of the bilo-bilo dough.
- To keep the coconut milk from curdling or separating, do not bring to a rolling boil.
- You can make the sticky rice balls ahead of time. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or shallow plate, cover with plastic film to keep from drying out, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Please note that the ginatan will thicken as it cools; add a generous splash of coconut milk when reheating to loosen the consistency.
Give this delicious ginataang halo-halo a try. Rich, creamy, and loaded with coconut flavor, it’s sure to be a family favorite. Looking for more creamy coconut desserts? I’ve got you covered!
More Coconut Recipes
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut milk
- 2 (about 4 cups) large camote, peeled and cubed
- 2 (about 2 cups) saba bananas, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup cooked sago
- 1 cup jackfruit strips
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine glutinous rice flour and 1/2 cup of the water into a pliable dough. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour; if too crumbly, add a little bit more water.
- Using the palms of your hands, form dough into smooth balls the size of marbles. Arrange shaped dough balls in a single layer on a baking sheet or shallow plate and cover with a cloth until ready to use.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine coconut milk and the remaining 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
- Add camote and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until almost tender.
- Add bananas, sago, and jackfruit and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add glutinous rice balls and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they start to float on top.
- Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Add coconut cream and continue to cook for until bananas and camote are tender but not falling apart and the ginataan thickens to desired consistency. Serve hot or cold.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Pamela says
We call it paradosdos here in Ilocos or sometimes tambo tambo😊
Elsa says
Hi Lalaine.
This Ginataang halo-halo has become the #1 hit in our family and friends gathering! Sooooo yummy!! Thank you so much for sharing your yummy recipes! : )
Gisela Elefano says
Hi Lalaine, I never bought coconut cream, can I omit coconut cream? I will just use coconut milk.
Thank you.
Gisela
Lalaine Manalo says
Hello, Gisela,
Coconut cream is coconut milk, only thicker. Kakang gata siya, the first extraction. Coconut cream lang ang tawag kasi dito sa US.
G says
Can i use coconut powder?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can. Just reconstitute according to the package’s directions.
Arlene says
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Lalaine Manalo says
Yay! I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Susan says
I cooked this today …. I added purple yam but no jackfruit….so yummy 😋😋
Thank you very much for your recipe.
Lalaine Manalo says
Yay! I am glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Susan says
I cooked this today …. so yummy 😋😋
Thank you very much for your recipe.
Ktine says
Napadami gawa ko, pwede ba tong ifreezer?
Lalaine says
Hindi ko pa nasubukan i-freezer but I think it would be ok, although expect some change in the texture of the banana and camote.
Necole says
What is a coconut milk?
Lalaine says
It’s the creamy liquid extracted when grated mature coconut is pressed 🙂
Maria Legaspi Payne says
Thank you very much Lalaine i am so glad i found your website
Maria
Lalaine Manalo says
I’m glad you found me 🙂
Necole says
How to get cookbook?
Ana says
Can i use sweet rice flour? Tx
Lalaine says
Hello Anna,
Yes, you can use sweet rice flour. Sweet rice is another name for glutinous rice. 🙂
Riza says
The writing on your website is very small… they are very difficult to read for older people like me! How about using bigger fonts and darker colors? Then I won’t need magnifying glasses!
Thank you!
Lalaine says
Hello Riza,
I am sorry about that. I am planning a site redesign in the next few months, I will certainly look into changing the fonts to make it easier to read. THank you!
Bambi says
We call it kiniler here in pangasinan
Lalaine says
Thank you, Bambi!
Ally says
We call it Bobo-chacha in malaysia and singapore
Lalaine says
Thank you, Ally 🙂