Comments on: What’s Cooking Now… Ube Halaya!

By: abc123

abc123 — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:51:10 +0000

There are actually lots of varieties of ube. The fragrant, rounded ones have paler, lighter colors. Then there is what is called “tuwiran” , which is purple and then there is what is called “diking” which is really deep violet. There are also white colored ube. You can add chinese gabi to make it more fragrant.

The recipe of tantamco is actually 5 cans condensed, 1 can evap to 6 kilos ube. You have to boil them with skin on and peel and slice them then grate them – use a processor for smoother ube or a hand grater fora chunkier ube. Then you use Anchor butter 1 stick to 1 kilogram. Stir, stir, stir.

During the rainy season, ube jam sold is actually camote or cassava with food coloring added.

By: ccggurl

ccggurl — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:40:29 +0000

i also made halaya over the long weekend…whew, my arm ached with all the stirring, 1.5 kg of fresh ube was quite a task for my un-exercised arm…

By: aji

aji — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:13:22 +0000

Sigh. My Mom makes an awesome halayang ube and I used to help her grate and mix them whenever we have the village fiesta when I was young decades ago. I find it’s more delicious than Good Shepherd and other commercial brands because I saw how my Mom worked hard to make them. Labour of love is still the best ingredient in any dish on my book.

By: jade186

jade186 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:59:38 +0000

We also use coconut milk instead of cow’s milk when making ube halaya at home, and brown sugar as well instead of white, a pinch of sea salt, and no butter. And as Laura says, the natural oil from the coconut comes out and prevents it from sticking and giving it a glossier appearance. The taste is even richer and the aroma more enticing.

Unfortunately fresh ube roots are hard to find in Austria (and in other European countries as well – with the exception of London, GB, where I found some at ridiculous prices), so I use the powdered ube ones when making ‘haleya’, and homemade ube ice cream. They’re also manufactured in the Philippines somewhere in Silang, Cavite.

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:27:07 +0000

I remember the halayang ube from my mother’s hometown (Pateros) that was traditionally served at fiesta time was deep purple & made without food coloring too. Instead of milk, coconut milk was used and the ube was cooked until very thick. It was stirred continuously until the oil from the coconut milk came out making the mixture a bit glossy. The oil also prevented the mixture from sticking to the pot at this point. Then the ube was formed into various shapes (a popular shape was that of a fish ~ not sure why but I guess it was part of the tradition) on a serving platter then it was decorated using a writing tip with white icing following the shape & details of the fish…scales, eyes etc. To serve, it was sliced instead of scooped with a spoon. The image and taste of this halayang ube was unforgettable. It will always be a part of my fond memories of those happy fiesta days. I’m glad that you wrote about ube halaya as it gave me a chance to share this ube variation with you & your readers. Thanks!

By: GT

GT — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:51:51 +0000

Penoybalut, the tuber could have been tugi. Tugi is white and sweet but is more glutinous than gabi. It used to be readily available in Central Luzon but is now difficult to find.

By: Pinksalmonlady

Pinksalmonlady — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:58:23 +0000

Thanks Betty Q. Have not tried cooking ube halaya with Ube ice cream. Just thinking about it now makes me salivate. LOL.

By: rita

rita — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:22:57 +0000

purple yam. that looks so good!

By: betty q.

betty q. — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:34:49 +0000

Terrey: you are so close to the ‘Pins (as Silly Lolo wold say). If you can get someone to bring you a puto bumbong steamer, you can make puto bumbong anytime. I have done it soooo many times here….Yes, Rowena, I will bring it to our kainan in December at La Emp’s house….anyway, going back to puto bumbong, I am sure you have access to galapong there and Black rice, you are all set to go!

Now, I have seen homemade contraption of puto bumbong on the net…for instance, they used empty can of cooking oil, cleaned of course throughly, with just 1 hole and the bamboo tubes, bottom wrapped in torn t-shirt I would assume…that’s it!

OH, NIna…tell your hubby…set aside a little of the jam and konti pang halo to the point of being makunat…add macapuno and chopped langka and then form them into balls and roll in sugar and wrap in cellophane….or even just put them in those petit fours paper thingies!…call it HALO-HALO BALLS! If Silly LOLO saw this , I am sure he would have something to say!

By: S

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:39:45 +0000

Tantamco’s is the best, too! But yes, tedious to make at home. But very possible. The lovely ube deserves a seat in the presidential table of Pinoy delicacies!