Halo-halo (from Tagalog halo, "mix") is a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served cold in a tall glass or bowl.
There is no specific recipe for this dessert, and a wide variety of ingredients are used. The order in which the ingredients are added varies widely. Primary ingredients include boiled red mung beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, sugar palm fruit (kaong), coconut sport (macapuno), and plantains. Other components may include jackfruit (langka), star apple, tapioca or sago, nata de coco, purple yam (ube) or sweet potato (kamote), sweetened corn kernels or pounded crushed rice (pinipig), flan or custard, and gelatin. Other fruits, such as papayas, avocados, kiwifruit, bananas or cherries, may also be added. Some preparations also include ice cream on top of the halo-halo.
Generally, condensed milk or evaporated milk is used instead of fresh milk, due to the tropical climate of the Philippines.
One of the first times I tried Halo-halo I hadn't yet mastered the whole 'mix mix' concept. Halo-halo literally means 'mix mix' and that's exactly what you're suppose to do. I was with a group travelling areas of the Philippines and we stopped into a fast food chain called Chow King for some Halo-halo. One of our group, a local Filipino, saw I was eating the Halo-halo layer by layer. He reached across the table, grabbed my spoon, started punishing my Halo-halo with it and said, "No no no, halo-halo means MIX MIX, you need to mix it not eat it separately!". I ended up with a sludged mess of all these odd ingredients mixed together that oozed over the sides of the bowl. It looked wierd but he was right; mixing it does make it taste better!
Yesterday I had a banana split that consisted of a scoop of avocado ice cream, a scoop or cheddar cheese ice cream, and a freshly picked banana. All I can say to you western taste buds out there that are saying "Yuck" is don't knock it until you try it. It sounds odd but it's delicious. Popular ice cream flavours here are mango, ube (purple yam), cheddar cheese, and avocado. I'm sure vanilla and chocolate are in there some where too. :D
4 comments:
This is pretty common throughout the region. Different countries in southeast Asia and Taiwan have their own version... in Malaysia, it would be Ice Kacang, in Taiwan, bing! (say it like you were surprised.. it literally translates to ice). One time, Teresa and I went to this Taiwanese dessert place where you choose your own ingredients. After 20 minutes, we realized that we had recreated our own childhood versions... she was eating a more "typical Taiwanese" one while I picked ingredients that made it look more like halo-halo.
Ainsley
Blue food rocks!
It sounds delicious! I love exploring new food combo's! Plus Alan wouldn't dare to try my dessert if it had cheddar cheese ice cream!
Really been enjoying your blog!
Yes, blue food DOES rock but ube ice cream (as shown in the photo) is purple not blue. :)
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