mini rice muffins at Aling Remy's

a Marikina City specialty - Aling Remy's puto kuchinta

the familiar store front made of native bamboo materials

Long before our trip to the Philippines, I've been thinking (even dreaming) about this particular steamed rice cake. It was high on top of my list of favorite foods I miss which I had to buy and eat once I got there. As I've posted before, making this kind of traditional rice cakes has been my biggest cooking frustration so far. I haven't been able to successfully come up with an acceptable recipe after several tries. All I have is a clear memory of my mother making them but one of these days I may try again. Considering that I've always loved puto since I was a kid, not being able to make them nor buy them here is just torture :-) There are many varieties of puto coming from various regions and provinces in the Philippines. I've had a very good Vietnamese version of it as well. Aling Remy's puto kuchinta (mini rice muffins) are a local specialty in the city of Marikina. She has been making them for many, many years. Her store used to be right in front of the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church (OLA) in the heart of Marikina City. We found out it has moved, though not far and just a short walk, from its former location. The special mini rice muffins with small pieces of cheese on top and its signature orange color, are sold in packs of 30-50 pieces, packaged in clear plastic containers (30 pcs) or in brown paper bags (50 pcs). They're very reasonably priced and perfect to serve at parties or for everyday snacks. They now also sell very good pichi-pichi rolled in grated cheese instead of the usual grated fresh coconut. Pichi-pichi is another local snack favorite made from finely grated cassava. Another item they sell is a glutinous rice cake muffin variety called kuchinta. I sure wish I can have some right now but sadly, it will be another long wait until my next visit to the Philippines and to Aling Remy's store.