Tupig (Filipino Grilled Sticky Rice Cake) 🌿🔥

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Tupig is a traditional Filipino delicacy from the Ilocos region made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and young coconut strips, wrapped in banana leaves, then grilled until smoky, chewy, and slightly caramelized. It is a popular street food and holiday treat in the Philippines.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25–35 minutes
Total Time: About 1½ hours
Servings: 12–15 pieces

Ingredients

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup grated young coconut (macapuno or fresh coconut)
• ½ cup coconut cream (optional, for richer flavor)
• ¼ cup chopped toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• Banana leaves, softened and cut into rectangles

Instructions

1. Prepare the banana leaves

1. Clean banana leaves and wipe dry.
2. Pass them briefly over a flame or soak in hot water until flexible.
3. Cut into pieces large enough to wrap the tupig.

2. Make the batter

1. In a bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and salt.
2. Add coconut milk and coconut cream.
3. Mix until smooth.
4. Fold in grated coconut and sesame seeds.
5. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.

3. Wrap the tupig

1. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the center of a banana leaf.
2. Roll tightly into a long cylinder.
3. Fold the ends inward to seal.

4. Grill

1. Grill over medium heat for 25–35 minutes, turning frequently.
2. Cook until the banana leaves are charred and the rice cake inside is firm, chewy, and fragrant.

5. Serve

• Let cool slightly.
• Peel away the banana leaf and enjoy warm.

Optional Variations

🥥 Extra Coconut: Add more shredded coconut for a richer texture.
🍌 Banana Tupig: Add mashed ripe banana for natural sweetness.
🍫 Chocolate Tupig: Add cocoa powder or chocolate chips.
🌰 Nutty Version: Add crushed peanuts or toasted sesame.

Tips for the Best Tupig

• Use glutinous rice flour, not regular rice flour, for the signature chewy texture.
• Toasting the banana leaves slightly adds a smoky aroma.
• Keep the wrappers tightly sealed so the filling cooks evenly.
• Traditional tupig is grilled over charcoal, which gives it its distinctive smoky flavor.

Tupig is a simple but beloved Filipino dessert—sweet, chewy, coconut-rich, and wonderfully smoky from the grill. 🇵🇭🥥✨