Nilupak facts for kids
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Top: Nilupak na kamoteng kahoy made from mashed cassava;
Middle: Ube halaya made from mashed purple yam; Bottom: Nilupak na kamote made from mashed sweet potato |
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| Alternative names | Nilusak, Halaya, Haleya |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Batangas City, Batangas, Calabarzon |
Nilupak is a group of yummy traditional Filipino treats. They are made from starchy foods that are mashed or pounded. These foods are then mixed with coconut milk (or condensed milk and butter) and sugar.
Nilupak is shaped in different ways. It is usually served on banana leaves. People often add toppings like grated young coconut (called buko), different kinds of nuts, cheese, butter, or margarine. This delicious snack is also known by many other names in the Philippines. Some of these names are nilusak, linusak, niyubak, linupak, or lubi-lubi.
What's in a Name?
The word nilupak means "mashed" or "pounded." It comes from the Tagalog word lupak. This word means "to pound something into a soft pulp." People traditionally used a large stone or wood mortar and pestle to do this.
In some parts of the Visayas region, it is called nilusak. This word has the same meaning.
In Philippine Spanish, nilupak was sometimes called jalea. This word means "jam." Over time, this word changed to halaya, haleya, or halea in local languages. This name is often used for nilupak na ube. Today, this is more commonly known as ube halaya.
Usually, the name nilupak is used for versions made with mashed cassava or saba bananas. The versions made from ube (purple yam) are mostly called halaya. Nilupak made from sweet potato or taro can be called either halaya or nilupak. No matter the name, nilupak and halaya are made in very similar ways. The main difference is the starchy food they use.
Different Kinds of Nilupak
There are many types of nilupak, depending on the main ingredient used. Here are some popular ones:
- Calabaza - This is known as halayang kalabasa. It's like a "squash halaya" or "pumpkin jam."
- Cassava - This type is called nilupak na balinghoy or nilupak na kamoteng kahoy. Cassava is a root vegetable.
- Saba banana - This version is known as nilupak na saging, nilupak na saba, or linuyang. It uses a special kind of banana.
- Sweet potato - You might hear this called camote halaya, nilupak na camote, or "sweet potato jam."
- Taro corms - This is known as nilupak na gabi. A famous type of this is binagol. Sometimes, taro is mixed with ube to make nilupak na ube at gabi.
- Ube - This is the most famous type. It is usually called ube halaya or "ube jam." It is made from purple yam.
