Pichi-Pichi with Cheese Recipe of the Delightful Filipino Dessert
Pichi-Pichi with Cheese Recipe
This amazing Filipino dessert has a simple recipe and only 4 main ingredients, cassava, water, sugar, and lye water. Once it’s cooked, it is cooled down and rolled in grated cheese for extra flavor. This Kakanin is famous for its easy-to-cook recipe and mouth-watering flavor and gelatinous texture that is achieved by steaming grated cassava. It is also considered as one of the puto that can be found anywhere in the Philippines but the most popular sellers are Amber and Don Benito’s menu.
You can also cook Pichi Pichi in your home by following the simple and easy-to-follow recipe I shared below.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings =18
Ingredients (18 pcs)
- Grated cassava or frozen cassava thawed = 1½ cups
- Refined sugar = 1½ cups
- Water = 1½ cups
- Grated cheese, for toppings = 1 cup
- lye water (lihiya)
Instructions
- In a big bowl, add grated cassava, sugar, and water and mix well until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add just a bit of lye water (lihiya) for blending.
- Prepare your steamer by adding water and heating over medium heat till it boils.
- Pour the mixture into a small pan, or cup molds and place in the steamer. Steam for about 30-40 minutes or until it becomes sticky, semitransparent, and a little bit firm. Use a toothpick to check consistency.
- When you reckon the consistency is fine enough, turn off the fire and remove pichi-pichi from the steamer.
- Let it cool down before removing it from the pan, or molds. You may put the container in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
- Upon cooling, remove from the molds and sprinkle the grated cheese before serving.
Video of the making of Pichi-Pichi with Cheese:
Notes
- Place a cloth under the lid of the steamer before fitting it so that the access water does not fall into the container of pichi-pichi.
- Fresh cassava may not be available everywhere, so if you are cooking in a country where you can’t find fresh cassava, you may use frozen cassava.
- If using fresh cassava, squeeze out some of the liquid by using a cheesecloth before adding it to the batter. No need to extract the liquid if using frozen cassava.
- If you can’t find lye water, you may use baking soda solution as an alternative. Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of water and boil it for 5 minutes. You will have a solution that you may use instead of lye water.
NUTRITION
- Calories: 85 Kcal
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 G
- Sodium: 114 mg
- Potassium: 70 mg
- Sugar: 10 g
- Vitamin A: 5I U
- Vitamin C: 4.4 mg
- Calcium: 5 mg
- Iron: 0.1 mg
FAQs
Conclusion
Cheesy Pichi-Pichi offers a delightful taste of Filipino tradition. This simple dessert, made with readily available ingredients, boasts a unique texture and irresistible flavor. With its ease of preparation and the option to customize it with various cheeses, Pichi-Pichi is a perfect homemade treat or a crowd-pleaser for gatherings.
So, the next time you crave a sweet escape, whip up a batch of Pichi-Pichi with Cheese and experience the magic of this beloved Filipino dessert!