Ginataang Halo halo

Fresh starts... second chances... clean slates. I love what the New Year represents. 

That was the Facebook status of my friend Agnes that I came across this morning. I thought that this status would be a good way to start my first post of the year. No matter what your personal goals are, no matter how many times you've tried and failed, the New Year allows you another chance to make it right.

The New Year also allows you to look back on the year that has been. Yes, I am truly grateful for what 2011 brought me. With 92 blog posts, I think I have outdone myself more than the previous years of sharing stories and recipes from my kitchen. I look forward to sharing even more this coming year... and hopefully you are still there with me every step of the way. 

As I thought about my first post this year, I thought of giving you the "circular dish" stamp just like in the previous years. Having said that, I would like to share with you guinataang halo halo, a dessert/merienda (snack) simmered in sweet coconut milk.  So let's start off with something sweet and sticky, rich and creamy as we say hello to 2012!  

Happy New Year friends! I hope the New Year gives you more reasons to gather and celebrate around the table... Cheers!

Guinatang Halo-halo

This may be served either warm or cold.  But since it's winter, a warm bowl between your hands will be as soothing as biting into a warm sweet pillowy soft sweet rice dough... enjoy!

Ingredients:
3-5 cans of coconut milk (I used a lot of coconut milk to give a thick sweet coconut soup)
2 medium size sweet yam, cubed
2 medium size taro , cubed (you could also use purple yam)
1 cup sweet rice flour (add water to form a dough, then make marble sized balls out of it)
1 cup tapioca pearls (to cook it perfectly)
3 pcs saba (bananas) cubed
1 bottle of sweetened jackfruit, shredded
2 tbsp vanilla
1 cup sugar (adjust sugar according to taste)

Procedure:

Pour  cans of coconut milk (reserve half a can for later) in a stock pot over medium heat. Let it simmer.  Once it simmers, add sweet yam and taro. Cook it for about 10-15 minutes. Then  you may add the round rice flour dough and cook it for another 5 minutes.  Add ttapioca pearls and jackfruit.  Stir the pot until cooked. Pour the remaining coconut milk for a creamy texture. Add sugar according to taste.  I used about 3/4 of a cup but you may add more if you'd prefer a sweeter blend. (optional: add vanilla flavor)

Now you are ready to have a comforting bowl of goodness!