Pichi Pichi is a dessert made out of grated cassava and sugar coated with grated coconut, this gelatinous treat is a real simple recipe for a rice cake it contains few ingredients, preparation is next to nothing and you don’t even need an oven as this is cooked in a steamer.
I remember when I was younger this is one of the things my mom made when there are special occasions, it goes well as a dessert with popular Filipino dishes like Spaghetti, Pancit and Barbecue but having said that there’s no reason not to serve this without those.
Ingredients
2 cups cassava, grated
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp lye water
3 stalks pandan leaves, tied in a knot
1 cup freshly grated coconut (if not available please use Alternative Coating)
drop of green food colour (optional)
Alternative Coating
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup coconut cream
Method
1. In a sauce pan add water and pandan leaves, bring it to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside and let it cool. Once liquid have cooled down remove the pandan leaves and measure 2 cups of liquid (the remaining should be roughly 2 cups due to evaporation), if the liquid is lesser than 2 cups adjust it with water.
2. In a mixing bowl add grated cassava, sugar, lye water, water and food colour if using then mix well until consistency is even.
3. Place in moulds, individual and large will do. Place then in a steamer.
4. Steam for 1 hour or until the colour turns translucent.
5. Remove from steamer and let it cool, once cooled down place in the fridge for at least an hour.
6. If you are not using fresh coconut do this step. While waiting for pichi pichi to cool place coconut cream in a cup then microwave until hot but not boiling. Mix together desiccated coconut and coconut cream then set aside.
7. Remove from moulds, if using a larger mould slice it into bite size pieces.
8. Roll the each piece over the grated coconut or rehydrated desiccated coconut, do it with the remaining pichi pichi.
I loooove pichi-pichi! And I’m not kidding! My friends know how I practically murder any plate of pichi-pichi whenever there’s a party full of Filipino food! Haha! It’s nice to know it’s easy to make :>
The cuteness of the dessert really suits the name pichi pichi!
Anything with coconut has my vote, but add pandan to this and that makes it perfect!
Raymund, thanks for posting this! I love pichi pichi and I remember them from my school days. Our school cafeteria sold these little sweet nuggets. After a hard day’s work at school, this was my usual treat! They definitely bring back lots of good memories…
What a cute name for a dessert! I rarely get to use cassavas in desserts bu pretty much throw coconut in everything…lol.
This looks like something i have no doubt i would fall in love with the minute i bite into it…haha!
I agree with cakewhiz
such a cute name!
we don’t get cassavas here, if I ever spot it, I will give these a try for sure
Yummmy!!! I absolutely loved these growing up
Thanks for sharing Raymund. It’s always a treat checking out what’s cooking in your kitchen.
I have not tried these before- sounds delicious. Are they chewy?
Not chewy, its more like soft and sticky
Perfect, kind of like mochi?
Not as chewy as mochi
Yum! I love coconut dessert like this! It’s a cute name, and in Japanese we say pichi pichi as adjective to express how young girls are.
Sarap!
Gosh, I love coconut – so I’m sure I’d really like these. Interesting dessert, and new to me. Good recipe – thanks.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely try it, I like the cassava mixed with coconut dessert, may I ask you what is the lye water ? thank you.
Lye water or alkali water is an ingredient used in Asian cooking. Its purposes are acting as a preservative, giving extra lift similar to the effect of baking powder and keeping moist food items not become soggy. It is important to use this specially in warmer places as the Pichi pichi is so moist and contains coconut which it spoil easily specially when stored in a covered container. You can find this in Asian shops usually in small glass bottles which looks like this https://www.google.com/search?q=lye+water&tbm=isch
Thank you so much Raymund.
These sound fantastic! I have not yet tried pandan leaves but have heard so much about them. Will have to ask my son in-law where I can get them
You can get it at most Asian shops as Thai use it as well, if you cant find the leaves you can opt for the pandan extract.
This looks so delicious and sinful all at the same time
Gotta love something like that
I’ve never seen anything like this before. It looks like a dessert that would go well with just about anything. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen cassava. I’m going to have to keep my eyes out for it.
Another version is to roll the pichi pichi in grated cheese instead of coconut. Just as yummy and less likely to spoil as compared to grated coconut.
love this native goodies myself..
I think we refer to this as onde-onde in Malaysia — I want some!
Yum! I love pichi pichi. It takes me back to my childhood