Hello steemit friends,

How are you all doing? I hope everything is fine with you. Today we are making my version of "Linusak" or "Nilupak", a traditional Filipino snack that is made of pounded (Linusak means pounded or mashed) unripe plantain banana or other starchy foods, mixed with brown sugar and coconut milk.

These sweet treats are added with grated young coconut and margarine or sometimes butter and then molded into its signature disc shape. They are traditionally served on banana leaves for added presentation.

This version is my take of the traditional recipe with slight upgrades to improve its taste and presentation. We all eat with our eyes first and that's why presentation is so important when it comes to cooking. Our eyes see the food first and determine if the food is appealing or not. When we see a nicely presented dish we want to start diggin in right away. This is the influence of visual food presentation to our brain.

Today's blog is focused on creating fantastic food that stands out boldy by presenting it beautifully. A traditional recipe shouldn't remain boring, sometimes you have to innovate and tinker with it a little bit.

So let's get started!

Ingredients

Nilupak Filling

600 grams Sweet Potato (peeled and diced)
50 grams Young Coconut Meat (chopped)
20 grams Salted Butter
5 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Nilupak Wrapper

10 grams Glutinous Rice Flour
40 grams All Purpose Flour
80 milliliters Water
A pinch of Salt
Vegetable Oil

Let's Make The Sweet Potato Filling:

Step 1 - Soak the peeled potato in a generous amount of water for about 10 minutes to reduce any unwanted flavors.

Step 2 - Strain the potatoes and transfer to a pot with potable water. Then boil the potatoes in a very low heat (gradually heating the potatoes will help increase it's sweetness).

Step 3 - Once potatoes are soft and slightly crumbled, strain and transfer to a large bowl.

Step 4 - Now add 5 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 20 grams salted butter followed by chopped young coconut meat.

Step 5 - Mash the potatoes with a masher thoroughly.

Step 6 - Place the sweet potato filling into a mould covered with plastic wrap.

Step 7 - Chill the potato filling in the fridge for an hour or two. This process is called binding.

Let's Make The Batter For The Wrapper:

Step 1 - Add a small amount of water in the Glutinous Rice Flour. Mix thoroughly. When the lumps disappear, add the rest of the water. Mix again.

Step 2 - Add the 40 grams of All Puroose flour and then season with a pinch salt. Combine the mixture evenly. The batter should be drifting at it should be (as shown in the photo).*

Step 3 - Cut the filling into 2 inches thick slices. It should come out square shape.

Let's Make The Nilupak or Linusak

Heat the pan on a medium heat coated with oil using paper towel.

Deep one side of the surface into the batter. Sprinkle some toasted coconut meat at the center. Then place it on the pan and lightly press it.

Repeat the process for the rest of the pieces. Once the batter is dry remove and deep another side to the batter. Continue this process until sweet potato filling is entirely covered with batter.

This recipe can yield to 8 pieces of Nilupak.

I hope you like our recipe for today. Thanks for dropping by! Ciao!!!