Pichi-Pichi is a gelatinous dessert (this can also be eaten as a heavy mid-afternoon snack) made from grated cassava and sugar. The concoction is placed in a mold and steamed until a sticky-gelatinous texture is formed. After steaming, this is coated with grated coconut for additional flavor.
It was not until a few years ago that I was able to try Pichi-Pichi. This is usually ordered in our workplace on special occasions along with Filipino Spaghetti and Pork Barbeque (these are grilled pork slices in skewers). I liked it because the taste is not too sweet and it fills me up fast.
The cost of this recipe won’t hurt your wallets. For the business minded individuals, you can start a food business by selling Pichi-Pichi with the other foods featured here in Panlasang Pinoy. Let’s remember that it is good to fill our stomach but it will even be better if our wallets are filled at the same time.
Try this Pichi-Pichi recipe.
Pichi-Pichi Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cassava grated
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup coconut grated
- 1/2 tsp lye water
- 1/2 tsp buko-pandan essence
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine cassava, sugar, and water then mix thoroughly
- Add lye water while continuously stirring the mixture
- Put-in the buko-pandan essence then mix again
- Once the mixture is evenly distributed, pour in individual cup molds and place in a steamer
- Steam the mixture for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until the color turns translucent)
- Allow the steamed pichi-pichi to cool down (at least 40 minutes to 1 hour ; you can even place it in the fridge after letting it cool down at least 15 minutes) then remove from the molds
- Roll the each piece over the grated coconut
- Place in a serving plate then serve. Share and Enjoy!
erma g. caberte says
I tried making pichi pichi.
But it took me more than an hour yet the center of steamed pichi remained hard.
The sides already turned translucent except the center.
where did i possibly go wrong?
help.
Riza says
If I use a fresh grated cassava as opposed to the one suggested in your recipe do I need to squeeze out the cassava juice before adding the water and sugar?
aya says
I made pichi pichi and did not squeeze the liquid out of the grated cassava. It turned ok na naman. I think naachieve ko yung tamang texture. Hope it helps.
jannette says
hi, i am so much into filipino cuisines and thanks to you i can make them myself now. i wanted to try this sooo badly but what i have is cassava flour not the grated one. would it make any difference? should it also be same measurements with what you made? thanksss
Vanjo Merano says
I dont know any alternative ingredient at this point, but I’ll try to research.
coach says
lye water is lihiya
Mariz says
Thanks a lot for this lovely recipe. I would like to ask if there is any alternative kind of molder that we could use rather than plastic type.
June says
Hello Kuya, thanks a lot for doing a great job videoing your secret recipe for all Pilipino food. It really help me a lot because I don’t know how to cook and trying to learn. Watching your video really help me a lot. Thanks in million times. Keep up the ood work. Helping Filipino like me to learn to cook our Filipino food. God bless…
divine says
i tried this recipe this afternoon…it was a success! my daughter loves it! thanks!
DJ says
Hi! I love your website! You have recipes that are easy to make -- no kyeme 🙂 I made some Pichi Pichi using a friend’s recipe but I like yours better. I have a question -- can I skip the Lye water? I can’t get it here where I live. I’ve been looking for molds like the one you used but can´t be found anywhere. I used a non stick mini muffin pan (it came out great) but your molds look cuter. Thank you for posting all kinds of GREAT recipes.
jill says
can i use pandan flavor instead of buko pandan essence?
Dadgee says
I would have used cassava flour instead of the grated cassava called for in your pichi-pichi recipe but unknowingly,I used cassava powder. It was what my husband brought home when I asked him to buy the flour for me. I didn’t even bother to check it.
My pichi-pichi was a failure. It was very elastic and hard to chew. Please correct me if I’m wrong….cassava flour and cassava powder are not one and the same.
Please post the recipe for the authentic Putong Polo. Thanks and more power to Panlasang Pinoy.
TONI, GEORGIA says
you can buy molds at bed bath and beyond if your in the USA.I bought mine there..They have diff sizes.Hope this helped
Jessy says
Kuya,
I am really checking my e-mails daily and waiting for the new recipes that you are sending me. I am really trying some of the recipes where the ingredients are available here in Dubai and good thing is my hubby appreciates the outcome. I want to request this recipe, please do feature “Halo-halong bilo-bilo”, I think some call it ginataan, I really want to share this to my housemates and ofcourse to my hubby.
Thanks and more power!
Jessy
Dubai, U.A.E.
May says
Hi Ms. Jessy this is May from Dubai also just wanted to know where did you buy youre lye water. I hope you could help ! thanks & regards.
Patty says
The substitute for lye water I used, was 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in 1 cup of water then boiling the mixture for 5 minutes, that’s it!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Using the extract from boiled pandan leaves is better ellen.
danii says
hi..what is lye water?
ann says
more recipes po!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Thats the method that my Lola uses too. And yeah, grated cheese taste good with pichi-pichi. Learned it from a co-worker after I brought the pichi-pichi in the office for them to try.
Joelen says
Looks delicious, even if I’m not fan of pichi pichi! 🙂
Anne Cabrera says
Hi there!
Do you prefer frozen or fresh grated cassava?
Thanks for sharing!
Prisila Thomas says
I preffer fresh grated it taste better .even if I make cassava cake I grate my own
Sweet says
I really love your pichi pichi. I like this recipe it looks easy to make and yummy.