How To Make Steamed Rice Snacks Without A Steamer

If you're in search of the perfect bite-sized snack to serve at your next dinner party, look no further than puto, a traditional Filipino dessert and side dish. Light, airy, and slightly sweet, puto are little, mini-muffin-shaped steamed rice cakes that are extremely versatile.

Kakanin, or Filipino rice snacks, have a rich history. Puto, one of the most popular kakanin, gets their name from the indigenous word "puttu," which means "portioned."  The types of ingredients used to make them can vary between regions, but the most common base is rice flour, which is mixed with coconut milk, baking powder, sugar, and egg.

You can top puto with cheese or salted egg for a more savory snack, or use coconut or ube. They are also served plain to accompany stews like Kare Kare, as well as other Filipino dishes. The best part is how easy they are to make — even if you don't own a steamer. You can easily turn your skillet into a steamer. All you need is a wire rack and a heat-proof plate.

Start by sifting together one cup of rice flour, a few tablespoons of sugar, a tablespoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, whisk together one egg with a cup of coconut milk and about two tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk the dry ingredients into the coconut milk mixture until just combined and pour it into a mini-muffin mold. Now you're ready to steam sans steamer!

You can create a makeshift steamer by placing a wire rack over a large frying pan or wok filled with some water. Heat the water and let it simmer, then simply place a heat-proof plate on the rack with your puto-filled muffin mold on the plate. Make sure you don't overfill the pan with water, you don't want it to spill onto the plate and ruin your puto.

Don't sweat it if you don't have a wire rack that will fit over the pan. A ring of aluminum foil will work too. Or if you're using a heat-proof muffin tin, you could try balancing it against the sides of the pan without letting it touch the water. All that's left to do is cover your "steamer" with a lid and wait for about 10 minutes. Once a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean, they're ready to be topped with whatever your heart desires.