I am writing here about one of the famous dessert “The Ginataan in Tagalog Binignit in Bisaya”. It is one of famous dessert in the Philippines!
Made most especially during All Souls Day and All Saint’s Day. You probably wonder what’s that event I’m talking about? Really it’s the day to remember and honor the people that close to us who passed on. It’s on November 1st (All Souls Day – they said for the adult that died), November 2nd (All Saints Day – for the young one that died). It’s one of the big holidays here in the Philippines. People will gather in the graveyard of the loved one. Some even stayed in the cemetery overnight or the 2 day event. Some offer food for the loved one that died. I think to some of you that are from abroad that lived here already and experienced the event, I’m sure you’ve observed that people will be staying at the cemetery overnight having a party. Big restaurants even put kiosks near the cemetery. I’ve seen Pizza Hut, Greenwich Pizza, Jollibee and others have booths there. Those cola companies sell there too.
But one of the desserts that almost every Filipino household has during that event, that would be the ginataan or binignit. I know it is present in my family. But in every family the recipe of the ginataan and binignit will not be the same. I know for certain in my household there are certain ingredients that I don’t and won’t include and that would be the taro root, ube and squash. But with other household that might be their favorite. So really to each his own. LOL. I will be sharing with you our recipe.
“The Bayoy-Martin Ginataan/Binignit Recipe“
Ingredients:
- 6 cups coconut milk
- 8 cups of water
- 2 cups of brown sugar
- 1/4 lb langka (jackfruit) julienne cut
- 4 pieces of banana (Saba here in the Philippines) (plantains) cut into cubes
- 3 pieces of sweet potato (kamote) cut into cubes
- 1/4 lb landang (palm flour jelly balls in English, not sure what you call that in Tagalog))
- 1/2 lb of ground sweet rice (glutinous rice balls)
- 1 lb sago (tapioca pearl or tapioca balls) different colors (red,green, blue, beige, yellow & white)
Procedures:
- To make the glutinous rice balls, moisten the rice flour with water just until it sticks together. Roll the dough into 1/4 inch balls.
- On the side, boil water for the sweet potato and banana to be cooked. It is better to cook it separately so that it will be quicker.
- First put around 8 cups of water in the pot(big pot preferably) and let it boil. Then gently drop around half cup of sweet rice or regular sweet rice will do and the sweet rice dough balls, let it simmer until the rice becomes soft and the sweet glutinous rice balls will rise on top when its cooked.
- Next, put the palm flour jelly balls (landang). When the landang softens put the coconut milk about 4 cups and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Then, put the one cup and a half of sugar, stir, add more sugar if needed. Keep tasting until you reach your desired sweetness. Then, add the rest of the coconut milk and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Next, drop the tapioca balls and let it continue to simmer for 10 minutes and keep stirring it, so that it will not stick to the bottom of the pan since the coconut milk makes it thicker. Then put the jack-fruit and let it simmer for maybe 5 minutes, then put the pre-cooked banana and sweet potato and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste again if its the sweetness you desired. if lucking add sugar before it cools down. Enjoy!!!
What’s the food that you are preparing during the All Souls/All Saint’s Day? Ginataan? Binignit? It might just be for us here in this part of the country. This might not be so famous in your area. Would like to hear if this is one of the fave in your family? What you guys do during that day? Feel free to share here.
Have a good visit to the cemetery. Stay safe too. Many people drink there too. I’m not talking just drinking pop though. You know what I mean?
Cheers!
YEP, I love it
Hi Carl – Good. I’m glad you like to eat ginataan. 🙂
Enjoy!
….yummy yum.luv it.
Hi Vanessa Faye – Yep so yummy for your tummy. LOL
Cheers!
Hi Feyma.
Looks like a lot of work, but I’ll try it. As you know, we don’t have All Souls day here in the USA, at least not like in the Fils. The Mexicans and other Races have it here, but not in the Cemeteries, no parties allowed, lol!
Hi Heinz – To be honest it’s not so much work though. Maybe the old days when no machine to get the coconut milk. Very easy now to make the binignit.
Yep I know, no All Souls/Saints Day there. I’m not sure if the Hispanic people also put candles on the graves during the death and the anniversaries. I don’t know where Filipinos got the idea to lit candles on the graves and during the wake. Something for me to research I guess. 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a great day!
Ah, yes, of course, the ginataan. Thank you for opening yet another window to a distant past, Feyma. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can remember having had the slightest whiff of the aroma of this wonderful dish called ginataan ever since the Platters came out with their hit, “Remember When?”.
I do remember, however, the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the glutinuous rice balls of ginataan in days long ago when Patti Page’s “Tennessee Waltz” was all the rage in my barrio Salaza (Palauig, Zambales), so popular that the song was played over and over during Coronation night dance held on the eve of the barrio fiesta.
It is a traditional dessert that helps define All Souls Day, as you have described, but also as a meal in itself often served during a wake at the home of the deceased. This was then.
While I admit that ginataan could easily be one of my top Filipino dishes, it is this recollection of the ginataan and it’s association with death during my formative years in Salaza that I find it less appealing today. 🙁
Hi John – Ha ha ha at least it brought back some good memories for you. ;-). But hey don’t mention the Platters, our kids might think we’re so ancient then. LOL.
That glutinous rice really is a good additional ingredients. It’s just so good. Honestly we make ginataan a few times a year even without any special occasions.
*** While I admit that ginataan could easily be one of my top Filipino dishes, it is this recollection of the ginataan and it’s association with death during my formative years in Salaza that I find it less appealing today. 🙁 *** — That’s too bad John. I hope you will try making again later.
Have a wonderful day!
Let them think whatever they like, Feyma, but those songs and the artists who sang them during those wonderful years of innocence were the real deal compared to the loud noise under the guise of music that we hear nowadays. Remember when?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAJD7sXvovo
Hi Feyma,
Here in our place in Cebu province binignit is not seen around during All Souls/All Saints day, but very popular during lent. We always buy it at that time from a neighbor who sells it. Your recipe is very similar to the one here, but with ube and taro. in it.
Here vendors will be selling what you and I know as bibingka: a rice cake made from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk, baked between an upper and lower level of charcoal. also budbud, a sticky rice mixture made with coconut milk and ginger and wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
Non-food items like candles and flowers will be sold too.
Our family compound is located on the corner of the street leading to the cemetery, so we’ll see a lot of action. My young nephews plan to sell parking spaces in front of our house for motorcycles, and I’m letting them use my spare ref to keep their bottled water cold that they plan to sell. from a cooler.
This is a lively time for everyone, and we all look forward to the excitement.
This week in preparation we’ll spruce up our simple mausoleum with a fresh coat of paint.
Mostly people here might attend mass on All Souls morning. We mostly spend the two days and nights in our yard and also hanging around the cemetery, snacking and socializing with relatives (alive and dead) and also wandering around talking to friends and neighbors from nearby and others that might have come from the city or even from abroad.
On All Saints we’ll have a small catered party and this year plan to hold that at the cemetery. Some drinking will go along with it too I’m sure, but not too much I hope.:)
Will you be going back to GenSan for your holiday?
Hi Queeniebee – Yep most people put ube and taro on their binignit. Just not us though. 🙂 I guess every region has different food prep during All Souls Day. Those other foods that you mentioned, people here made that too during Nov. 1 & 2.
Oh yeah everything (candles, flowers, chips candies, water, pop and many more) will be sold at the gate or near the gate of the cemetery. Lately big restaurants put up kiosk there too. I’m sure your family will make good money there selling bottled water and parking.
We used to live near the cemetery before. During Nov. 1 & 2 it’s so traffic near our house and so loud during night time people passing our house with music on their car. Good thing the party, its just 2 days in a year.
Have a good celebration there with your family during the All Souls Day. It’s going to be a big party. I’ve seen how the Cebuanos party during this time. I was there during 1985-1990. Stay safe.
I haven’t decided yet if I go or not to Gensan. I’m just so worried about too many people in the terminal waiting for the bus.
Good to see you again here. Take care!
One of my absolute favorites!
Hi Celestial – Mine too…
Cheers!
I’m partial to the bananas and the glutinous rice in ginataan. Not a fan of the starchy root crops (yams, taro, or sweet potato). Sago is a bit of a hit and miss for me. And it bothers me a bit when the rice balls are dyed in different colors.
I know, I know, I’m so picky and why do I even bother eating something that I only like 2 ingredients out of?
Because those glutinous rice balls are so great! So soft and chewy.
Hi Feyma,
Ginataan is one of my favorite dish in the whole wide world. I could either eat it cold or hot. Some people prefers it hot, some prefers it cold. Me, I could go either.
Mmmm, I’m thinking, I really have not tried to cook a dish of ginataan before, but since you offered your recipe here and gave me the idea, I may have to get on with my cooking skills and also go to the Fil-Am Store pretty soon here and start cooking the ginataan, your recipe.
A better idea! This coming October 31, we are having a potluck party at work, and this dish seems to be calling out for me to cook and bring to the potluck, by the minute I’m thinking about it! Hehe!
Thank you for the article, Feyma!
Salamat! 🙂
From, Aklan Heat.
Hi Feyma,
As you can well imagine I’ve never tried it before. It does sound delicious! I’m willing to try most things. I couldn’t eat that chicken in a shell though. Balot?
I find it very interesting people would visit the cemetaries here. I have much to learn and learning is so much fun here in the Philippines! Ummmm Most of the time! haha
Bill
I should clarify – visit on Halloween that is.
Nice article. I never had it before, but I’d sure love to try it. lol
My wife grew up in Tacloban City, you know where that super typhoon hit and wiped almost everything out. She can’t remember it being called anything but “ginataan”, although her family pronounces it with one “a”.after the “t”.
I know there are several bisayan dialects.I guess “binignit” isn’t part of the Waray dialect.
I will be honest, for me it was something that had to grow on me. When I first tried it, it tasted ok, but the textures were just so different than anything I had prior. There were slimy/slippery textures of the pearls, firm textures of the potato and semi soft of the banana. It took me a while, but now I like it. I eat it, but don’t usually eat the potato. lol. I just give it to my wife if I get too many pieces of the potato.