Suman (food)

Suman

Suman sa Ibus, a variety of Suman wrapped in young palm leaves.
Alternative names	Rice Cake
Place of origin	Philippines
Main ingredients	Glutinous rice

Suman is a rice cake originating from the Philippines. It is made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, often wrapped in banana leaves or buli or buri palm (Corypha) leaves for steaming. It is usually eaten sprinkled with sugar or laden with latik. Suman is also known as budbod in the Visayan languages that dominate the central half of the country. A widespread variant of suman uses cassava instead of glutinous rice.

There are numerous varieties of suman, with almost every town or locality having its speciality. Some are described below:

Binuo (or Suman sa Binuo) - A rare variety of suman, the glutinous rice is soaked, milled, mixed with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in the leaves of the Tagbak plant, and steamed. The leaves give this variety of suman a uniquely balmy, minty flavor, and the suman itself is chewier than the whole-rice varieties.

Suman sa Ibus (or simply Ibus) - A ubiquitous variety of suman in the Philippines, the glutinous rice is washed, and is then mixed with salt and coconut milk. The mixture is poured over pre-made coil containers of young palm leaves called Ibus or Ibos, and fixed with the leaf's central shaft. This is then steamed using water mixed with "luyang dilaw" (turmeric) — giving it that distinctly yellow colour — and served either with a mixture of shredded coconut and sugar, or latik — (reduce coconut milk until white lumps form and simmer until golden brown).

Suman sa Inantala - The ingredients are similar to the Ibus variety, but the Inantala differs in that the mixture itself is cooked, and then poured over a small square mat cut from banana leaves.

Sumang Kamoteng Kahoy - Cassava is finely ground, mixed with coconut milk, sugar, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed.