Comfort in Community
By Sophia Openshaw
Photo Aarushi Gupta
An unpopular opinion, but I don’t like Mac & Cheese.
To me, there is no comfort in one-dimensional flavor and instantaneous dairy-induced food comas. Being somewhat lactose intolerant may factor into this equation too.
In the cold Northeast Fall and Winter climates, it makes sense that the foods that people crave and find nostalgia in are thick, rich soups, hearty stews and some sort of cheese-pasta-potato permutation. However, not everyone in the world has the pleasure of experiencing the Ithaca winter. For some, braving the cold between the library and the warm tomato soup at the dining hall is an unknown existence.
A world away from this Ithaca snowstorm, South East Asia offers comfort foods which are nourishing to the heart, playing an integral role in building community. For me, comfort is found in being jostled by my infinitely many cousins, aunts and uncles around a large table while heaping bowls of singang, a delicate tamarind based Filipino broth with eggplant, okra and commonly shrimp or Bibingkang Malagkit, a coconut sticky rice dessert topped with a broiled coconut caramel, are fought over.
The first time I had Bibingka was at a Christmas party as a young child. My brothers and I were so entranced by it, we began to call Tita (auntie) Ann, ‘the Bibingka Lady’ and the nickname has stuck ever since.
The very next weekend, Tita Ann came over to teach me how to make the dish which I’ve been making at Christmases and other celebrations ever since. I even made this last year for my first birthday and Friendsgiving away from home in a Low Rise 6 kitchenette, which goes to show just how college student friendly this dish is.
Tita Ann’s Bibingkang Malagkit
Yields: 2 8x8 aluminum pans (or 1 medium rectangular aluminum pan)
Ingredients
2 cups glutinous rice
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cans coconut milk (400ml cans)
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
Topping (Latik):
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cups coconut milk (or 160ml can)
2 tbsp condensed milk (2 more tbsp coconut milk if dairy free)
Instructions
Soak the glutinous rice for at least 30 minutes (overnight is preferred) with 1 400ml can coconut milk and 1 cup water in a mixing bowl.
Transfer the soaked ingredients to a medium sized pot and add the other can of 400ml coconut milk, 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp salt.
Cook over medium heat. Stir the ingredients constantly to ensure the glutinous rice does not stick in the bottom of the pan.
When the liquid starts boiling and the rice has grown in size, add the white sugar into the pot. Continue stirring until the rice is cooked and firm*, and transfer to pans.
Heat a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the sugar and coconut milk to the saucepan and whisk constantly to break up any clumps. Add the condensed milk after the mixture has begun to feel syrupy. Continue cooking the syrup until it starts to boil and thicken. At this point, turn the heat off.
Pour topping over the rice in the pan until it is fully covered. Broil the bibingka on the top shelf of your oven for 10 minutes, or until the topping begins to bubble slightly.
Cool the bibingka for about 20-30 minutes, until the topping is set, then serve.
Notes
* If you draw a line through the rice, the bottom of the pan should remain visible for a few seconds. (If the line disappears immediately, it isn’t ready yet).