''Puto Calasiao'' is a type of Filipino soft

steamed Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American Southwest, steam pits used for cooking ha ...

rice cake A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten. Common variations include ...

; that is well known all over the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

for its melt-in-the-mouth feeling. It is a type of '' puto'' (steamed rice cake) shaped in small bite-sized portions.

Etymology

The name is derived from Tagalog '' puto'' (steamed rice cake) and ''Calasiao'' the place of its origin.

Description

''Puto Calasiao'' is a type of ''puto'' (steamed rice cake) that are shaped in small bite-sized portions that is made out from a semi-

glutinous rice Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals. Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...

that is soaked in water, ground and

fermented Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic compound, Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are Catabo ...

in earthen jars for three days or more, with just enough sugar to taste, and

. It can be topped with

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

or drizzled with

chocolate syrup Chocolate syrup, sometimes called chocolate sauce, is a sweet, chocolate-flavored condiment. It is often used as a topping or dessert sauce for various desserts, such as ice cream, or mixed with milk to make chocolate milk or blended with mil ...

for variation. The ''Puto Calasiao'' tradition started dates back from about 1900s, and it originated from the place of

Calasiao Calasiao, officially the Municipality of Calasiao (; ; ), is a municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 100,471 people. Today, Calasiao is known as a first class, highly co ...

from the province of

Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...

where its namesake comes from. It is the town's "white gold" and iconic food. It is known for its sweet, fluffy, chewy, cup-shaped, and small bite-sized soft rice cakes.

Festival

''Puto Calasiao'' Festival celebrates annually every early December at the end of the year in Calasiao, Pangasinan, in the Philippines. It is the town's pride and cultural heritage. During its festivals, the local villagers and people outside the region come in for the culinary competition for varieties of ''Puto Calasiao'' and to celebrate the feast. The festival promotes unity in its community.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puto Calasiao Rice cakes Fermented foods Steamed foods Glutinous rice desserts Philippine desserts Philippine rice dishes Culture of Pangasinan

Etymology

Description

Festival

See also

References