Halo-Halo (mix-mix) Filipino Dessert!

Loving Chowking's Halo Halo!

There is no question, I have a sweet tooth. My Mom said she predicted that when she was pregnant with me, craving desserts like ice cream more often than usual. Btw, she also has a sweet tooth so this sweet apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Hence, my name is CANDIce. It could have been my name and my obsession for sweets was a coincidence but I think the universe planned it perfectly, I love sugar!

Growing up in Singapore, you're living in a climate that is tropical, hot and humid year round. My places for solace was a pool and an iced dessert Filipino halo halo or what literally means "mix-mix". Halo halo is a good representation of the Filipino culture which is a mixture of many influences and cultures: Spanish, American, Malaysian, Chinese and more.

It starts with a tall clear glass filled with sweet preserved red and white mung beans (mungo), preserved fruit, saba bananas (saging) and jackfruit (langka), coconut meat (macapuno) and coconut jello (nata de coco). Then this colourful parfait is topped with shaved ice, evaporated milk, mango or purple yam (ube) ice-crream, creme caramel (leche flan) and roasted rice puffs (pinipig).

Red mung beans (mungo)

Saba bananas (saging)

                                   

Coconut jello - white (nata de coco)
                                        

Sweetened purple yam (ube)

Mango ice cream

Once assembled, the layers are so pretty when they come together, the glass looks like frosty rainbow! Then with some skillful spoon-work, you start combining all of the flavours together to gather a spoonful of contrasting soft, chewy, crunchy, crispy and creamy textures bouncing and cooling all corners of your mouth. Here's a short foodieo of us in Cebu, Philippines enjoying halo halo, yum!

Chowking's Halo Halo in Manila

This is my childhood memory in a glass and love how easy it is to recreate it at home here in Vancouver!

Halo Halo, summer in a cup!

Ingredients 
Serves 1

Filling:
2 tbsp preserved red and white mung beans (mungo)
1/2 boiled saba bananas, sliced (saging)
1/4 cup white and green coconut jello, diced (nata de coco)
1/4 cup jackfruit, julienne (langka)
1/4 cup coconut meat, julienne (macapuno)

You can find pre-made Halo Halo mixes in specialty Asian stores

Topping:

1 cup ice cubes
1/4-1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 scoop of mango ice cream
1 tsp of ube jam
1 tbsp of pinipig (or granola)

Did you know: Pinipig are rice grains that are roasted and then pounded until they are flat and look like oats with the texture of rice crisps. 

Halo Halo ingredients (L-R): Nata De Coco (green), Mango Ice Cream, Ube, Nata De Coco (white), Saba Bananas, Halo Halo Mix and Red Mung Beans

Directions:

1. In a 16 oz glass (holds 2 cups), start layering the filling ingredients with the beans, saba bananas, coconut jello, coconut and jackfruit.
2. Using a powerful blender, crush the ice cubes with the milk to create a thick and creamy smoothie-like texture. Top the halo halo parfait with the milky shaved ice smoothie. Then add the mango ice-cream, ube jam and sprinkle with pinipig. Serve immediately.

Masarap!