Deremen

Deremen is a type of Filipino rice cake prepared with a type of young glutinous rice that is burned in its husk and pounded, it is cooked with sugar and coconut milk over wok until dry and sticky in consistency.

The wife visited the Philippines around November last year and one of her pasalubongs was this Deremen, a type young glutinous rice popular from Pangasinan that has a unique processing method. Processing deremen is quite laborious, it starts by handpicking the rice stalks individually, toasted on hot embers while it is still in its husk before it is pounded, the result is like a pinipig kernel that was toasted.

This rice is available only once a year, after its harvesting season around October hence it also explains its popularity during the Halloween (Undas) season, making it a main stay in Pangasinan’s cuisine during those periods. Tradition during Undas stated that deremen is usually placed at the altar of every Catholic household as a food offering for the departed, this happens before people go to the cemetery to pay their respects to their dead.

Deremen is also called Inlubi and Nilubayan, it is usually found in most public markets of Pangasinan towns and cities from October to early December. While it is sold in the market, you won’t find anything in the stalls, rather they are sold by the mobile vendors carrying their bilao.

Today we will make one, and like the Deremen in Pangasinan, this is once in a while, why? Because we have a limited supply of this rice and to make things worse, we can’t buy it in New Zealand. Another reason, the cooking method too is labour intensive, just imagine mixing this continuously as it becomes very thick in consistency for 45 minutes.

Deremen

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• Author: Raymund
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
• Category: Snack
• Cuisine: Filipino

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Description

Deremen is a type of Filipino rice cake prepared with a type of young glutinous rice that is burned in its husk and pounded, it is cooked with sugar and coconut milk over wok until dry and sticky in consistency.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups deremen
• 200 ml coconut cream
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2 cups sugar
• coconut strips from 2 young coconuts
• 1 bunch pandan leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup water

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl soak deremen in water and set aside for an hour.
2. In a non-stick wok combine together coconut milk and sugar, add the pandan leaves and salt, place in medium heat then let it slowly boil while constantly mixing
3. Drain the deremen then add it into the wok.
4. Add the coconut strips.
5. Remove the pandan leaves, lower the heat to medium low then continuously mix the rice cake, this will get harder once it starts to dry out.
6. When the mixture dries out all the coconut cream, continue to cook further while constantly mixing this will take around 35-40 minutes.
7. Once it’s totally dry and very sticky, turn the heat off.
8. Place rice cake in a banana leaf lined serving platter. Flatten to 1 1/2 inch thick, refrigerate before serving

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Notes

Deremen is best consumed cold but can also be eaten at room temperature.