Pintos or Binaki is a special delicacy from Cebu. If you want to try this authentic dish, the best course of action is to try it during an exciting trip to the city. But not everyone has the luxury to do this, and with the help of this simple recipe, it is now achievable.
Perhaps you are familiar with nilupak. Imagine its appearance, that is how this sweet corn tamale looks like. Except, it is wrapped in the corn husk before it is cooked. The whole dish makes use of several components of corn, from the kernels to the husk. It is sweet and most of the time considered as a fulfilling meal.
It is fun to try out different recipes. Like most mothers, I love cooking homemade food for my family. But I also run out of ideas on what to cook for them at times. That’s when I open the internet to browse some new recipes. Sometimes, I ask my friends for ideas too. Then I saw this recipe and thought it would be nice to try something new. So one day, I tried to make it at home. I felt so excited as I wait for it to finally be done. I was proud of how it turned out!
How to Prepare the Corn for Pintos or Binaki
- Buy corn on a cob with husk. Cut off the end of the corn cob with a sharp knife to have an even wrap.
- Remove the husk, making sure you do not tear them because you will use them as a wrapping for Pintos.
- You may soak the husk with hot water to make it soft and easy to bend.
- Position the ear of corn inside a large bowl to keep all the kernels from spilling all over while you are cutting it. Place the cob standing up and slice off downward to remove the kernels. Continue cutting while rotating the corn until all the kernels are removed.
- Place the kernels into a food processor or blender and process it for 3-5 minutes until smooth and creamy. It is now ready to mix with other ingredients.
You don’t have to wait for that travel opportunity just to get to try some good pintos. It’s true that nothing will beat the authentic taste though, but being able to make it gives you an idea of how it will taste like. Who knows, maybe your creation will equally rival the traditional pintos from Cebu.
Recipe
Pintos or Binaki Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pcs sweet corn fresh with cob
- ¼ cup margarine
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ cup glutinous rice flour
Instructions
- Remove the corn husk and make sure you do not tear them because you will use them as a wrapping for the tamales. Set aside.
- Place the cob standing up and with a sharp knife, cut down the side to remove the kernels. Continue cutting while rotating the corn until all the kernels are removed. You can place the ear of corn inside a large bowl to keep all the kernels from spilling all over while cutting it.
- Using a food processor or blender, process the corn for 3-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Transfer into a large bowl and combine the margarine, powdered milk, sugar and glutinous rice flour. Mix until well blended.
- Use the husk and put a heaping tablespoon of corn mixture into the center. If the husk is too small, you may use 2-4 pcs and overlap them to each other. Fold husk lengthwise and bring two ends together.
- Place them into a steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes over boiling water with medium heat. Remove from the steamer and let it cool for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Mar Quijada says
I rememberr this food being sold at the bus stop in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental when I was 6 years old, way back 1958. I remember old folks say they used malagkit corn for the main ingredient. I have tasted binaki with yellow corn but the texture is rather rough compared to the traditional binaki using malagkit corn.