Recipe: How to make Pateros' famous Inutak

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines boasts of so many different kinds of Kakanins or native delicacies. These originate from various parts of the country and, depending on awareness and availability, become famous on the national level.

From Pateros, which is most famous for its  Balut and Penoy, comes Inutak, a layered Kakanin that is similar to Sapin-Sapin, except that it usually comes in only two layers — violet at the bottom and white on top but its consistency is just about the same.

You use glutinous rice flour and gata (coconut milk) as main ingredients when you cook Inutak, which got its name from the Filipino word “utak,” meaning brain, because the surface of the cooked inutak carves out an image of the brain in your mind with its brown burnt patches.

Chef Edward David Mateo of La Royale Patisserie and Minatamis PH shares an easy way to make Inutak. 

Inutak

Ingredients:

510 grams glutinous rice flour

280 grams sugar

755 ml. kakang-gata (thick coconut cream or first squeeze)

755 ml. gata (thin coconut milk or second squeeze)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh ube paste or Ube Halaya

1 tsp. violet food color

1 tbsp. ube flavoring

Thick gata for topping

Macapuno strips for topping (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, mix together glutinous rice flour and sugar.

2. Make a well in the center and pour in coconut cream and coconut milk together with lightly beaten eggs. Mix well.

3. Strain the mixture then divide equally into two separate bowls.

4. Add pandan leaves to one bowl. Set aside.  

5. Add violet food color and ube flavoring to the second bowl. Mix thoroughly using a blender. Cook over low to medium heat until mixture is thick. Pour this violet mixture into an aluminum pan or leche flan molds. Even out the surface and allow to set to form the bottom layer of the Inutak.

6. Now cook the other half of the mixture with the pandan leaves over low to medium heat until mixture thickens but is not dry. Pour over the violet layer to form the white top layer of the Inutak. Allow enough time to set.

7. Pour the extra gata on top then broil or torch until top has golden brown patches.

8. Top with macapuno strips, if desired, before serving.

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