Black Sticky Rice Cakes

My family spent the entire weekend in Sta. Cruz, Zambales to attend my lola's 14th death anniversary padasal. Anne and I went home a day ahead so i had to make my mom swear to buy me this native delicacy before heading back home last Tuesday. Now, the photos may not seem appetizing at all, but if you can only taste by looking at the photograph...you will realize that looks can be deceiving after all. Locals call it Linubyan or Lubi-lubi. Young sticky palay are harvested and roasted in a buho (don't ask, i dunno what it is myself), afterwhich is manually pounded to separate the rice from the skin (ipa in the vernacular) using the traditional bayo. The resulting product is black pinipig. It is then cooked slowly in coconut milk producing a moist, chewy texture with just the right amount of sweetness to make you want to ask for more. Forget about the carb and the...uhm...rather unappealing color...go to Sta. Cruz and taste it yourself.