My first recollection of Ginataang Halo-Halo is probably when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I clearly remember it when my Lola Carmel decided to make this dessert for our Merienda (afternoon snack) one summer day. I asked my Lola what Ginataang Halo-Halo was? She told me, "you'll see, it’s a very good dessert…NOW, go to your room and take a nap!!! And when you get up, it will be ready for Merienda!" Ohhhh, was I disappointed!!! I thought for sure I'll get away from taking a nap and she'll have me help out in the kitchen and make this Ginataang Halo-Halo with them that I've been hearing about!
I recalled she bought a bunch of taro roots (gabi), sweet potatoes (kamote), purple yam (ube), chubby plantain bananas (saging na saba), jackfruit (langka), grated coconuts (niyog) to be squeezed for coconut milk and then there was tapioca pearls (sago) simmering in a big pot while my Yaya (Nanny/Housemaid) was busy working on the sweet rice flour balls (bilo-bilo). I thought to myself, what could this dessert possibly be??? So many ingredients. That bilo-bilo surely looked good and wondered how they cooked them! I wanted to roll those on my hands, too, I told myself! I asked my Lola Carmel once again if I can stay up and help out in the kitchen, but she said, I need my sleep so I can grow taller! Hmmmm, what another lame excuse to get me out from the kitchen! Darn!
So, I went to my room sulking…
At that time, my brother and I used to take afternoon naps for at least three hours a day from 1-4 pm. Then, when we get up from our nap, we'll have our Merienda and have 'free' play time until 6pm. We usually go to the playground in the park with our Yaya (Nanny/Housemaid). Watch some cartoons and wash up before dinner at 7pm. So, I tried so hard to take a nap, but I couldn't! All I kept wondering was that Ginataang Halo-Halo…What it taste like?? What it looks like?? So many ingredients just for a dessert! I'm screaming inside…so curious of this dessert I've never had before (maybe I did, but I couldn’t remember if I ever had it…couldn't tell you since I was only 4 or 5 years of age at that time!). I laid on my bed. I tossed and turned. I closed my eyes thinking that it will help me fall asleep. I counted all the sheep to billions, trillions to zillions! Nothing worked!!! I could have gotten out of bed and played with my toys, but I didn't want to make any noise and risked of getting reprimanded so, I laid there until my Yaya came to take me out from my nap. Those three hours felt like an eternity. It was so hard to lay there especially when I can smell the sweet scent of the coconut milk!
Finally, it was MERIENDA time!!! I couldn’t wait to take a taste of that GINATAANG HALO-HALO I‘ve been hearing and dreaming about! My Lola handed me a big bowl of it, still steaming as she asked me how my nap was?? "Uhmmm…it was good, po, Lola" as I muttered and at the same time looking at my bowl in excitement! I could tell my Lola knew I lied to her about my nap. One glance at me and she knew that I deceived her and how restless I looked that afternoon. But all I could think about was digging in with my sweet bowl of Ginataang Halo-Halo. At first glance, it looked like a very thick and hearty soup and it was PURPLE in color!!! Hmmm…colorful with big chunks of tubers, rice flour and tapioca pearls?? What a strange looking dessert, I pondered for a second. I took my first spoonful and I was in my glory. My tongue got slightly burnt, but I didn’t care! AT LAST, I had my first taste of that soupy dessert…laden with carbohydrates and sugar! It was better than I could ever imagined it would be! It was sweet and creamy. I perked right up! I fished out for the rice flour balls (bilo-bilo) and I really liked its chewy and gooey texture. I’ve always liked the tapioca pearls (sago) so I decided to keep them on the side along with my bilo-bilo. I like to save the BEST for last, you see…one of my mottos in life…hehehe.
From then on, every time I hear or see Ginataang Halo-Halo, it always reminded me of the first time I had it and in that sense, a ’PURPLE’ Ginataang Halo-Halo is the ONLY and TRUE Ginataang Halo-Halo for me! Just like how my Lola Carmel would make it =)
Living in the States, fresh purple yam (ube), which gives out the purplish hue on the dessert is hard to come by. We can only find them in shredded (frozen) and powdered form or Ube Jam in the bottle, so when people make them over here, they look very pale and don’t look too appetizing for my taste. This is why every time I make it, I add some ube powder for an added flavor and color. Then, I also add some purple sweet potato if they're available ;-)
Ingredients:
To make a big pot, I usually double or triple this recipe...Enjoy!
2 (13.5 fl. oz) cans coconut milk (Chaokh brand preferred)
4 c. water (2 cans)
1/2 cup sweet rice flour (Mochiko), mixed with 1/4 cup water...add more if needed and shaped into balls - Bilo-Bilo...I roll mine into a long rope and cut into small cubes)
1 cup peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup peeled and cubed "gabi" taro root
1 cup peeled and cubed purple sweet potatoes
1 cup cubed "saba" bananas (from can or bottle)
1 cup langka (jack fruit), drained and cut into strips
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
*Ube Powder - since it's hard to find Ube roots in this area....use about 1/4 cup of Ube Powder to add some "purple color"
1/2 cup of Small Tapioca Pearls (I prefer this than the bigger ones...takes less time to cook)
Directions:
Bring coconut milk and water to a boil; simmer for a few minutes. Add sweet rice balls and tapioca pearls; Cover and simmer until balls float on top. Stir occasionally to prevent tapioca pearls from sticking from the bottom of the pan. Add sweet potatoes (red and purple) and taro roots. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes and taro root are firm-tender. Add "saba" bananas and "langka", then add sugar, salt and Ube powder. Stir to dissolve the final ingredients. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or so in low heat. Stir constantly until Tapioca pearls are fully cooked.
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