Halo-halo

Halo-halo is the quintessential Filipino summer treat. The season is not complete without a tall glass of this cool and refreshing delight. Many an enterprising household would set-up temporary stalls to sell halo-halo, some with varying price for regular or special (with leche flan!). Even fastfood chain ChowKing has capitalized on this favourite dessert and is one of their best selling items on the menu.

The literal translation of halo-halo is "mix-mix" and this is what you actually do to it: mix up the crushed ice with the milk and the various layered goodies at the bottom of the glass. This can be quite tricky though, as the crushed ice is usually piled way above the rim of the glass. I get around it by eating off the excess ice (and some of the leche flan and/or ice cream in the process before proceeding to dig through with my spoon.

The most special version I've had of halo-halo is one with these additional items: pinipig, sweetened beans, red-colouring poured on the ice, and topped with leche flan and ice cream. But when Myra and Darryl invited us to their home for halo-halo last weekend, I learned that an even more special version exists: one that's been made and shared with friends!

You can have this special treat at home even when you're not in the Philippines, courtesy of the Asian store and an ice crusher.



Ingredients:

crushed ice (we used an ice crusher for the ice cubes)
1/4 cup evaporated milk
a heaping tablespoon of sweetened kumara (or sweet potatoes)
1 tbsp sugar
a slice of leche flan (optional)
a bit of ice cream (optional)

The following comes bottled:
a heaping tablespoon of sweetened corn
a heaping tablespoon of macapuno strings
a heaping tablespoon of nata de coco

Procedure:
In a tall glass, pile one on top of the other the corn, macapuno, nata de coco, sweetened kumara, sugar.

Pack in crushed ice til you fill the glass.  Pour evaporated milk over the ice.  Then top with leche flan and/or ice cream.

Serve and watch faces light up.

Our halo-halo session was made even nicer with turon!

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