The midnight mass, also called Simbang Gabi, is a religious tradition where Catholics wake up in the wee hours of the morning from December 16 to 24 to travel to their nearest or preferred church and attend mass. Many strive to complete all nine masses, as they believe that this action will make their wishes come true. A Catholic bishop, however, clarified that Simbang Gabi will not grant wishes like a genie in a bottle. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that the nine days of praying is to help people prepare for Christmas.
After the Simbang Gabi mass, people would buy the traditional kakanin typically sold outside of the church. If you’re looking to earn more pesos this holiday season, a Christmas business idea you can consider is selling Christmas snacks, such as bibingka and puto bumbong, to churchgoers.
Making These Two Christmas Snacks
If you plan to sell these snacks to churchgoers, you’ll need to know how to cook bibingka and puto bumbong. Bibingka is a kind of rice cake cooked using a traditional clay pot. On the other hand, puto bumbong is a sought-after delicacy made from a special kind of rice called pirurutong.
Cooking Bibingka
Here’s what you need to make this kakanin:
- Glutinous Rice (also Known as Malagkit)
- Water
- White Rice
- Eggs
- Fresh Coconut Cream (or Canned Coconut Milk)
- Melted Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cheddar Cheese
Next, follow these steps:
- Soak the two types of rice in water overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 180 °C.
- Drain the water from the two rice.
- Mix both ingredients using a blender or a food processor.
- While mixing, add fresh coconut cream until the mixture turns smooth.
- Pour the mixture in a bowl and add butter, baking powder, sugar, and eggs. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture in a round pan lined with banana leaves.
- Bake for 35 minutes (or until you see a golden brown top).
- After removing from the oven, add toppings of your choice, such as butter or grated cheese.
Cooking Puto Bumbong
Take note of the following ingredients when making this Filipino delicacy:
- Long Grain Purple Rice
- Glutinous Rice
- Sticky Purple Rice (pirurutong)
- Water
- Softened Butter
- Grated Coconut
- Brown Sugar
Then, follow these cooking instructions:
- Mix all the rice in a large bowl.
- Pour water on the bowl and let the mixture soak for two days.
- Drain the water using a large mesh strainer and place the soaked rice in a blender. Grind the rice until you achieve a very fine consistency.
- Add water to a puto bumbong steamer until it reaches the halfway mark. Then, use heat to boil the water.
- Stuff each bamboo tube, known as bumbong, with powdered rice.
- Once the water begins to boil rapidly, place the bamboo tubes on the steamer. Cook until you see steam coming out of the tube.
- Remove the tube and place the contents on a banana leaf.
- Top your puto bumbong with butter, grated coconut, and brown sugar.
Getting the Funds You Need
You have many options for getting the capital you need to start your kakanin business. Apart from borrowing money from a bank, you may join a coop in the Philippines, such as a credit cooperative. The benefit of becoming a coop member is that you can have your business needs met without needing to defer to a single individual.
When selling puto bumbong or bibingka on the streets during Simbang Gabi, you have to make sure that your product offers something unique to churchgoers. Adding a special topping to your kakanin, for instance, can set you apart from competitors and allow you to sell more of your products to your customers.
