Tibok-tibok facts for kids
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| Alternative names | carabao-milk pudding |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Pampanga, Cagayan |
| Serving temperature | room temperature, cold |
| Similar dishes | Maja blanca, blancmange, leche flan |
Tibok-tibok is a yummy Filipino dessert. It is also called carabao-milk pudding. This sweet treat comes from the Pampanga province in the Philippines. It is very popular there and in Cagayan.
Tibok-tibok is a type of pudding. It is made mostly from carabao milk. Carabao are a type of water buffalo. The pudding also uses ground glutinous rice. This special rice makes it soft and jelly-like. Before you eat it, it's topped with latik. Latik are tasty little coconut curds.
This dessert is usually creamy white. It has a gentle, sweet, and slightly salty taste. Tibok-tibok is a lot like another Filipino dessert called maja blanca. But maja blanca uses coconut milk and cornstarch instead.
What Does "Tibok-tibok" Mean?
The name tibok-tibok means "like a heartbeat." This name comes from how people know when it's ready. As the pudding cooks, it gets thicker. Small bubbles barely pop on the surface. This makes the mixture look like it's gently pulsing, just like a heart beating!
How to Make Tibok-tibok
Making Tibok-tibok is similar to making other puddings. Here are the main steps:
- Mixing the Milk and Rice: First, carabao milk is mixed with a small amount of galapong. Galapong is ground glutinous rice that has been soaked overnight.
- Adding Flavor: A little bit of white sugar is added for sweetness. Some dayap zest is also included. Dayap is a type of key lime. Its zest gives a fresh, citrusy flavor.
- Cooking the Mixture: The mixture is cooked slowly over low heat. It needs to be stirred all the time. This helps it get thick and smooth.
- Cooling and Shaping: Once it's thick, the hot mixture is poured into a flat pan. This pan is usually lined with greased banana leaves. The leaves stop it from sticking. The pudding then cools down and becomes firm. You can also pour it into fun molds.
- Serving: Tibok-tibok is often cut into square or diamond shapes. It is always topped with latik. Latik are crispy bits made from cooked coconut milk.
If you can't find carabao milk, you can use whole fat cow's milk instead. Sometimes, people might use rice flour or cornstarch instead of galapong. Some recipes might even leave out the rice flour completely. To keep it fresh, store Tibok-tibok in a container that keeps air out. This stops it from drying.
