Balasan Finiest Bibingka

Almost all the bibingkas or bingka here in Iloilo shares a common place of origin_Villa, but one is distinct for it comes from a different place. RCJ Bingkahan of Balasan, Iloilo (a three and a half hour ride north of Iloilo City) was established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Reginald and Florinda Jaro, Sr.

RCJ bibingka is a mixture of rice flour, butong (young coconut – the one used in making buko salad), refined sugar, eggs and milk. It is placed in the pugon (an improvised oven made of thin galvanized iron sheets) for ten minutes if coconut husks are used for cooking and fifteen minutes when it is firewood. The way RCJ makes thebibingka is different. They set fire on top and bottom of the bibingka (for the usual, it is only on top). The raw bibingka mixture is placed on a round metal cups (evaporated milk tin cans) lined with a round cut banana leaf.