Fried suman sa lihiya with ube cream, latik, and muscovado syrup – a dessert built around Filipino pantry staples.
Suman sa lihiya is the plain, slightly alkaline rice cake — wrapped in banana leaves, steamed, and eaten with sugar or tsokolate. Frying it crisps and caramelizes the outside while keeping the inside dense and chewy.
This version tops it with ube cream, latik, and muscovado syrup. Ube and latik make sense together — both come from the same coconut-and-root-crop tradition, and the toasted bits cut through the richness of the cream. Use the leftover coconut oil from making the latik to fry the suman; it adds a subtle nuttiness that regular oil won't.
The ube cream is the trickiest part. Start with cold cream straight from the fridge — warm cream won't whip properly. Whip to soft peaks first before adding the halaya; once it goes in, switch to folding. Overmix and you'll end up with ube butter. The final color depends on your halaya — a deeply purple one gives you vivid lavender cream, a lighter one will be more muted. Either way, keep it refrigerated until you're ready to plate.
Make latik: In a pan over medium heat, add coconut cream. Cook until milk solids separate from the oil, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once solids begin to brown, stir constantly to avoid burning. Remove and drain on a strainer. Save coconut oil for frying the suman.
Make muscovado syrup: In a small pot over medium heat, add sugar and water. Heat until sugar dissolves and the syrup coats the back of a spoon, about 4-5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt.
Make ube cream: Whip cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add ube halaya, sugar and salt, then fold until just incorporated. Be careful not to deflate the cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Fry suman: Heat reserved coconut oil and butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Fry suman until deep golden and caramelized at the edges, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Assemble: Arrange suman on a plate and top with ube cream. Sprinkle with latik and finish with a drizzle of muscovado syrup. Serve immediately.
