This Vegan Binignit is made with ube, taro, tapioca pearls and is the ultimate snack or dessert. It’s creamy, rich and loaded with coconut flavor that will satisfy your craving.
What is Binignit?
Binignit is a popular dessert and one of the favorite snacks of Filipinos. It is very easy to make- add all the ingredients in a pot, stir it and wait for the ingredients to cook.
In the Philippines, there are many versions of Binignit but this recipe originated in the second-largest island of the Philippines- the Visayas island.
During the Holy Week, the Cebuano Roman Catholics cooked this and ate only Binignit during Good Friday. They do it as a sign of fasting. But nowadays, since Binignit is a Filipino comfort food, it is served in restaurants every day, at any time.
Over the years, several ingredients have been added to the original Binignit recipe, but it is basically made with coconut milk, water, taro, ube, sweet potatoes, and saba bananas.
Brown sugar is commonly used to sweeten the Binignit since this kind of sugar has a hearty taste to it. Also, this dessert is made more lively because of the colorful tapioca pearls you add at the very end!
With just the right amount of sweetness, this sticky and soupy dessert is so comforting to eat especially during the rainy days.
Tips and Tricks for Making This Binignit Recipe:
- To sweeten the Binignit, you can use muscovado sugar if you don’t have the regular brown sugar.
- To make the Binignit stickier (which I love), you can add ground rice flour or ground glutinous rice. As this needs to cook longer, you can add this before you put the other ingredients in the pot. Also, adjust the quantity of water as rice flour and glutinous rice tend to absorb much water as it cooks.
- Slice the taro, ube and sweet potatoes into cubes. This does not only look pretty in the dessert but it also makes the cooking time faster.
- If you want to use the whole glutinous rice (not ground), you can soak in in water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to make the cooking time faster when you mix it with the other ingredients of the Binignit.
How to Make Binignit:
These are the Binignit ingredients that you will need:
- coconut milk
- water
- brown sugar
- taro
- ube
- sweet potato
- saba banana
- purple tapioca pearls
- sago
- rice flour
In a large pot over medium heat, add coconut milk and cook and continuously stir until it thickens:
Then add 2 cups of water and continuously stir. If you love a soupy Binignit, add 1 more cup of water or coconut milk:
Once it boils, add brown sugar and continue to stir:
Once the sugar has melted, add the taro cook for 5 minutes:
Then add the ube and cook for another 5 minutes:
Next, add sweet potato for 5 minutes:
Add saba banana, cover and cook for 3 minutes:
Now, let’s do my favorite part and my favorite Binignit ingredient! Add the purple tapioca pearls:
Then add sago and cover and cook for another 5 minutes:
Serve and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Binignit Recipe:
Q: Why do I need to slice the taro, sweet potato, and ube into smaller cubes?
A: This allows even cooking and makes the cooking time faster.
Q: Can I use coconut milk in cans or pouches if I don’t have fresh coconut milk?
A: Yes you can use the instant coconut milk versions, but of course, the fresher, the better 🙂
Q: Can I make Binignit a day ahead?
A: Yes for sure. After cooling it completely, you need to keep it in an airtight container and chill it. When you are ready to serve it, just warm it up in a microwave or a pot.
Q: Where can I buy taro and ube?
A: You can purchase taro and ube at your local asian market.
Q: What’s the difference between Ube and Taro?
A: Ube, also known as purple yam, is a tuberous root vegetable. Taro is also a root vegetable known as gabi in the Philippines.
Q: Where can I buy Saba Banana?
A: It can be purchased at your local Asian Market in the produce section or frozen aisle. Or Trader Joe’s in the frozen aisle.
More Delicious Authentic Filipino Food Recipes:
- Pancit Bihon
- Fried Rice
- Buko Pandan
- Cassava Cake
- Vegan Filipino Champorado
- Biko – Filipino Sweet Sticky Rice
- Filipino Vegan Escabeche – Sweet & Sour Fish
- Vegan Pochero
- Mango Float
Vegan Binignit
Binignit is a colorful, creamy, milky and hearty Filipino dessert that is a mix of taro, ube, bananas, sweet potatoes and bright tapioca pearls and sugar – indeed a Filipino dessert that is a favorite snack to many.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups water (if you want it soupy, add 1 more cup of water)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup taro cut into small cubes
- 1 cup ube cut into small cubes
- 1 cup sweet potato cut into small cubes
- 5 saba banana, thinly chopped
- 1/2 cup purple tapioca pearls*
- 3/4 cup sago*
- 1/4 cup rice flour (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, add coconut milk and cook and continuously stir until it thickens.
- Then add 2 cups of water and continuously stir and once it boils, add brown sugar and continue to stir.
- Once the sugar has melted, add the taro cook for 5 minutes, then add ube and sweet potato for 5 minutes.
- Add saba banana, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add purple tapioca pearl and sago and cover, cook for 5 mins.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
*feel free to use different color of sago or tapioca.
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