Suman and Boiled Suman

• 5 cup mochi rice
• 5 cup coconut milk
• 2 cup boxed brown or dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. vanilla – optional

Cook mochi rice like regular rice in automatic rice cooker. Boil coconut milk for 1 hour at medium heat, until you can see some clear oil and coconut residue. Combine sugar and water and boil 8-10 minutes, stirring. Pour into coconut syrup and mix well. Put cooked rice in a large mixing bowl or large pot. Pour coconut syrup mixture in and mix well. Pour half in 9×9 inch square pan lined with banana leaves. Bake in over 325 degrees F. for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Boiled Suman:

The other half wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.

Prepare leaves 8″x10″. Place leaves in medium heat oven to wilt them, to prevent leaves from cracking while rolling the mixture in the leaves. Put ¼ mixture on each leaf and shape like a cigar. Roll leaf around it and seal ends by bending leaf at both ends. To boil place a handful of banana leaf square on the bottom of a large pot.

Place lengths of banana ribs on top of leaves. Place wrapped cakes on ribs. Fill pan with water to halfway over cakes. Boil for 1 hour.