Bibingkaaaa! Wake up! as my alarm clock shrieked boisterously, September is here!

Therefore, this is the season to be jolly (fra la la la la-la la la la!). A disc jockey said that we can start counting down days before Christmas now and enjoy the alacrity of days. Simbang Gabi, shopping sprees, sales, 13th - month bonuses, bibingka and puto bumbong (yummy!) are what Filipinos have in mind whenever Christmas is approaching . Let's talk about Bibingka, the famous Filipino rice cake. Wikipedia quoted: Bibingka is a traditional Filipino Christmas food. It is usually eaten along with puto bumbong right after the Simbang Gabi (Midnight mass, the Filipino version of Misa De Gallo). They are sold outside of churches during Christmas season. It has a soft spongy texture similar to puto, another Filipino rice cake. It is eaten hot or warm and is slightly sweet with a taste very similar to rice pudding. The top and bottom surfaces (including the traditional banana leaf lining) are also usually charred, adding to the flavor . Considering bibingka as one of my favorite kakanin. The simple but lavish taste of this rice cake makes my intestines growl. They are being sold not only outside of churches but also along the streets, street corners and sari-sari stores where you can often see a lot of people hanging out. Selling bibingka is one of the Filipinos' good money-making schemes during Christmas season. It adds esprit de corps to Filipino values and camaraderie during this time of the year. Now, that we've talked about Bibingka, I will share with you the recipe of the all time Filipino favorite rice cake and its varieties.

BIBINGKA ESPECIAL 1 cup thick *galapong cup white sugar 2 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons melted butter 4 tablespoons sugar for topping 3 eggs, well beaten 1 cup coconut milk 3 tablespoons grated cheese

To make galapong: Soak rice in equal amount of water overnight. Grind and let stand until the next day.

To make Bibingka Especial: Add sugar to the galapong. Add baking powder, melted butter and the well beaten eggs and coconut milk. Mix well. Pour thin layer and batter in hot (native clay) baking pan or molds lined with banana leaf which has been passed over and open flame. Cover each baking dish with a galvanized iron sheet with live embers on it. When almost cooked sprinkle grated cheese and sugar on top of each and cover again. Continue baking until brown; brush top with melted butter and serve hot with crated coconut.

* galapong glutinous rice soaked in water then ground with water to form either a batter or a dough, depending on what the cooked dish is supposed to be.

BIBINGKA MALAGKIT 2 cups malagkit 1 cups brown sugar cup rich coconut milk 3 cups diluted coconut milk from 2 coconuts 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon powdered *anis Boil the diluted coconut milk in carajay. Add malagkit and salt. Boil until quite dry, stirring constantly to keep from burning. Lower the heat and add 2/3 cup sugar. Line a pan (bibingkahan) with wilted banana leaf. Pour the mixture into it. Pour the rich coconut milk and the rest of the sugar on top of the malagkit. Sprinkle with the anis seeds. Fill the cover of the pan with live coals and place over mixture until it browns. Or bake on an ordinary oven at moderate temperature and finish off by putting under the broiler to brown topping.

*anis - is a confectionery flavoured with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant.

BIBINGKA PINIPIG 3 cups pinipig 1 cups brown sugar cup rich coconut milk from 2 grated mature coconuts 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon powdered anis

Boil diluted milk, pinipig and salt in carajay. Lower the heat and add 1 cup sugar. Line a pan with wilted banana leaf and transfer the mixture into it. Pour the rich coconut milk on top of pinipig mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and powdered anis on coconut milk. Cover and bake until brown. Or brown under oven broiler.

BIBINGKA ROYAL 3 eggs cups sugar 1 cups coconut milk 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder melted margarine grated cheese Beat the eggs well until light and creamy. Dissolve the sugar in of the coconut milk. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add by spoonfuls to sugar and coconut milk mixture. Add the rest of the coconut milk alternately with the dry ingredients. Beat well. Add the well-beaten eggs and melted margarine. Line four small round pans with banana leaves. Pour mixture into pans, spreading it thin and evenly. Bake in preheated hot oven. When cooked brush the top with butter and sprinkle with grated cheese and sugar. Serve with grated coconut.

References: Recipes of the Philippines by Enriqueta David-Perez (16th printing, 1970) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibingka