Matamis na bao

[skunkbunny]

Hi all,

I recently found this product at a market near my house and I think I'm in love. Apart from spreading it on everything under the sun (which is what I'm doing with it now) what do you traditionally do with Matamis na bao? desserts? drinks (seems unlikely but I read that somewhere)?

Is it a product that is made / used to be made at home? Am I mistaken in thinking that it is coconut milk and dark brown sugar?

If anyone has any sites about this that would be great too...... mmmm... it's like, as good as dulce de leche.. and nothing is as good as that... yummy

Thanks

Michael

[PPPans]

Wow! Matamis na bao in Canada? It literally means sweet coconut shell after the original packaging - empty coconut shells filled with the confection. Also called coco jam, it is coconut milk simmered with molasses or raw sugar.

How do we usually use it? Spread over bread, like you do. In some provinces, it serves as a topping for rice cakes. My grandmother used to eat coco jam with rice for dessert. Children spoonsful of it alone, hehehe!

I have not heard of it used for drinks. Won't do for cold drinks, the oil will harden. For hot drinks... hmmm...

[aprilmei]

Is this the same thing as kaya?

[PPPans]

I think so, except that recipes for kaya that I've seen include eggs, some whole, some just yolks.

Edited November 9, 2005 by PPPans (log)

[skunkbunny]

I think so, except that recipes for kaya that I've seen include eggs, some whole, some just yolks.

←

Kaya for me has always been more an off white egg based substance that you could sort of mold into a clump if you wanted too... at least the Yeo's stuff is.

I'm pretty sure this was not kaya, at least not as I know it. It was quite dark and thick... think molasses with a bit of cream. Heaven forbid you should try and play with it with your hands.. very thick and gooey=messy... gonna go and have some more now..

<PPPans>.. would you grandma have made this at home? I'm assuming that is was a hommade product at one time?

[Tepee]

I've never had matamis na bao before, but it sounds quite similar to the rich palm syrup we eat with gan sui joong. Yes, I can eat it by the spoonfuls.

Ingredients

200g palm sugar, roughly pounded

250 ml water

2 pandan leaves, knotted

60 ml thick coconut milk

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring now and then, till all sugar is dissolved. Sieve. Add pandan leaves, simmer till syrup thickens. Add coconut milk, stirring continuously over low heat until it comes to a boil. Yum!

p/s Ugh. Yeo's kaya is far from homemade kaya.

Edited November 10, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[PPPans]

Most traditional Filipino food was made from home at one point in time. We didn't have large-scale native industries.

If you mean to ask if it can be made at home in the present, yes it can. Like what I said, it's coconut milk simmered till very thick then add the sugar. A bit of calamansi juice is sometimes added to cut through the too rich taste.

[skunkbunny]

Wow thanks guys... i love to know a bit about what I'm eating.. and that I can put it on rice!!!

Tepee that is one super joong page you have, I can't wait to start making a mess in the kitchen and try to make joong myself... I had had a similar syrup to the palm/pandan syrup that my Malay friend made. He put it on a flat joong-like cake (sticky fice stuffed with banana in a banana leaf). He bought them frozen and they wern't very good.