Filipino Biko (Glutinous rice pudding)

I adore homemade English rice pudding with lots of ground nutmeg and a brown skin on top, but I hate rice pudding in a tin/can I can never touch that stuff.

Biko is Filipino rice pudding using glutinous rice and coconut milk. Great stuff. I made this with my own tweaks adding nutmeg like how I love English rice pudding. Also I added a layer of lovely caramel on top. I love Biko as much as the English rice pudding.

Here is my recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups (about 400g) glutinous rice
water

1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
1 tsp salt
3 - 4 tbsp brown sugar, more if you like sweeter (remember the caramel topping is quite sweet)
freshly ground nutmeg (much as you like, I add about 2 - 3 tsp)
2 large egg

* If you don't like nutmeg you can use ground anise or ground ginger, qty to your taste.

Topping:
1 tin Nestle Carnation caramel or Dulce de Leche**
250ml coconut milk
1 large egg

**If you can not get Dulce de Leche, you can boil a tin of condensed milk for 3 hours, or tip the condensed milk into a small saucepan, stir and cook till caramelised.

banana leaf for lining if you have some if not grease baking tray/dish with butter.

Baking dish/tray: I use a Pyrex oblong roasting dish

Method:

Soak the rice for few hours.Drain with sieve and shake off excess water. Put rice in a glass or microwave proof bowl. Then add in about 300ml water. Cook rice in microwave for about 8 - 9 minutes on high till water is absorbed.
I did not leave the rice to cool. Stir in coconut milk, salt, sugar and as much nutmeg as you like. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl then stir in rice mixture.
Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray or dish with banana leaf. To soften the banana leaf gently heat with direct flame. Pour in the rice mixture. I grated more nutmeg on top. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes till set.
While the rice pudding is baking, make the topping. Mix all the ingredient together. Take rice out after 15 - 20 minutes baking. Pour on the topping. Return rice pudding to oven and bake for another 35 - 40 minutes till the topping is rich golden brown. I love nutmeg so much I grated more on top after baking.
Serve hot or cold. When hot the top is really delicious and crunchy. When cold this pudding can be cut into slices.