Have a delicious Filipino snack or dessert with this easy Suman Malagkit recipe at your next party or gathering! This simple Filipino sweet rice in banana leaves will satisfy your cravings with its chewy texture and sweet flavor!

Love Filipino desserts? Try the fan favorites like Biko, Cassava Cake, or my personal favorite, Buko Pandan.

unwrapped suman malagkit with a stainless spoon

This suman recipe is best eaten with mangoes in the summer or dipped in tsokolate in the winter.

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What is Suman Malagkit?
Variations
Substitutions
Storage Tips
Ingredients
Instructions
Top Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Suman Malagkit Recipe

What is Suman Malagkit?

Suman (pronounced as soo-man), also called Budbud (pronounced as bood-bood), is one of my favorite Filipino snacks or desserts. It's a traditional Filipino sticky rice cake usually made from glutinous rice cooked with ginger, coconut milk, and sugar until al dente. Then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to perfection!

There are so many variations of suman, but it's usually eaten with chocolate powder (hot chocolate mix), sprinkled with brown sugar, mangos, or, as my husband eats it, maple syrup. Learn how to make this suman malagkit with banana leaves today and enjoy it as a delicious snack or dessert on any occasion!

Variations

Flavors: Add a twist to the traditional suman malagkit by mixing different flavors, either ube (purple yam), chocolate, mango, shredded coconut, or pandan.
Sweeten to taste: Adjust the sweetness of your suman malagkit to your liking by adding more or less sugar.
Serve with dipping sauce: Suman Malagkit is traditionally served with a dipping sauce or "latik" made of coconut milk and sugar. This adds another layer of flavor to the dish and balances out the sweetness of the rice.

Substitutions

Wrapper: Although traditionally made with banana leaves, suman can be substituted with other leaves or even parchment paper if necessary.

Glutinous rice comes in many forms; also check to see if it's sticky rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, sweet rice, mochi rice, pearl rice, or malagkit—these are the types of rice you're looking for.

Storage Tips

Place this suman malagkit in an airtight container and store it at room temperature if you plan to consume it in a day.
You may keep it in the fridge for up to three days or freeze it for up to 6 months.
Always cover the suman to prevent it from drying out, especially if you store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Reheat by steaming, microwaving, or pan-heating for a few minutes or until heated through.

three pairs of banana-wrapped suman malagkit on a white surface

Ingredients

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:

glutinous rice
coconut milk
ginger
water
white sugar
salt

See the recipe card for the quantities.

Instructions

Rinse the glutinous rice until the water is clear, and then set it aside.

In a large saucepan or large wok, add the coconut milk, ginger and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir continuously until the milk solids separate from the coconut milk:

boiled the coconut milk and ginger in a large work and stirred using a wooden ladle

Next, add water, sugar, and salt, bring to a quick boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the rice and continue mixing on low heat until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes:

added the water, sugar, salt, and glutinous rice into the mixture

Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool:

slightly cooled the suman malagkit in a large wok with a stainless serving spoon

Measure out about 80 grams of the rice mixture, place it on the banana leaf, and roll into logs.

Roll banana leaves tightly around the rice to form a log, and fold both edges to seal. Repeat the steps until all the rice mixture is prepared:

placed about 80 grams of cooked rice mixture on a banana leaf and rolled into logs

In a large pot, arrange all the folded suman and add 1.5 liters of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, and steam for 45 minutes:

arranged the folded suman in large pot then boiled until cooked

Carefully remove the suman, allow it to cool, and eat with a ripe mango.

banana-wrapped suman malagkit served on a flowery plate

Enjoy this suman malagkit with banana leaves anytime you want!

Top Tips

Use high-quality glutinous rice. I've tried cheaper versions, and I can tell the difference in the quality of rice when eaten.
Soak glutinous rice overnight: it will help soften it and make it cook easier.
Use high-quality banana leaves: They will give your Suman Malagkit a delicious aroma and flavor. Clean the banana leaves well before using them to wrap the rice mixture.
Use a pot that will fit the suman snugly, because if not, it will float around or unravel. Use a plate to weigh down the suman to keep it from floating while it boils.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you eat Suman Malagkit?

It's typically eaten by unwrapping the banana leaf, dipping it in coconut caramel sauce, and enjoying it with a cup of coffee or tea.

What kind of rice is malagkit?

Malagkit is a type of rice commonly known as glutinous rice or sticky rice, which is different from regular rice.

Should suman be refrigerated?

Suman should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge since it's cooked with coconut milk.

suman on banana leaves sliced and placed on a plate

4.41 from 5 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Suman Malagkit Recipe

Here's a traditional Filipino dessert made of glutinous rice and coconut milk, wrapped and steamed in banana leaves, which makes a delicious and satisfying snack or dessert. This suman malagkit recipe is easy to make and perfect for any occasion!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: bud bud, Suman Malagkit

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 615kcal

Author: Lainey

Equipment

1 large saucepan or wok
1 Large pot

Ingredients

Instructions

Rinse the rice until water is clear and then set aside.
In a large saucepan or large wok, add the coconut milk and ginger and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir continuously until milk solids separate from the coconut milk.
Next, add water, sugar, and salt. Then, bring to a quick boil and reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the rice and continue mixing on low heat until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.
Measure out about 80 grams of the rice mixture, place it on the banana leaf, and roll it into logs. Roll banana leaves tightly around the rice to form a log, and fold both edges to seal. Repeat the steps until all the rice mixture is prepared.
In a large pot, arrange all the folded suman and add 1.5 liters of water. Bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the suman and allow it to cool.