Halo halo, a popular Filipino dessert, is a mixture of various sweet ingredients and shaved ice, served in a tall glass. The name halo halo is derived from the Tagalog word “halo,” meaning mix, as the dessert is a mix of various ingredients.

The origins of halo halo are not clear, but it is believed to have originated in the 1920s in the Philippines. It is a popular dessert during the hot summer months, as the shaved ice helps to cool down the body.

Ingredients for Halo Halo:

• 1 cup of shaved ice
• 1/4 cup of cooked sweet beans (such as mung beans or red beans)
• 1/4 cup of cooked glutinous rice balls (known as “kelapa” or “bilo bilo”)
• 1/4 cup of nata de coco (coconut gel)
• 1/4 cup of macapuno (sweetened coconut strips)
• 1/4 cup of ube (purple yam)
• 1/4 cup of kaong (palm fruit)
• 1/4 cup of saba (plantain)
• 1/4 cup of leche flan (custard)
• 1/4 cup of ice cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup of condensed milk
• 1/4 cup of coconut milk

Step by Step Instructions for Making Halo Halo:

1. Begin by cooking the sweet beans and glutinous rice balls. For the sweet beans, rinse and soak the beans in water for at least two hours. Drain and transfer to a pot, adding enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are soft and tender. For the glutinous rice balls, mix glutinous rice flour with water to form a dough. Roll the dough into small balls and steam for about 20 minutes.
2. While the beans and rice balls are cooking, prepare the other ingredients for the halo halo. Cut the ube and saba into small cubes and set aside. If using fresh nata de coco, soak it in water for at least two hours to soften. Cut the nata de coco into small cubes and set aside. If using canned nata de coco, drain it and set aside.
3. Once the beans and rice balls are cooked, set them aside to cool. Next, shave the ice using a manual ice shaver or a shave ice machine. Place the shaved ice in a tall glass.
4. Begin layering the ingredients on top of the shaved ice. Start with the sweet beans, followed by the glutinous rice balls, nata de coco, macapuno, ube, kaong, saba, and leche flan. If using ice cream, add it as the top layer.
5. Pour the condensed milk and coconut milk over the layers of ingredients. You can also add a scoop of ice cream on top if desired.
6. Serve the halo halo immediately, using a long spoon to mix all the ingredients together before eating.

Halo halo is a colorful and delicious dessert that is enjoyed by people of all ages in the Philippines. Its sweet and refreshing flavor is perfect for hot summer days, and the combination of various ingredients adds to its uniqueness and appeal.

While the traditional recipe for halo halo includes the ingredients listed above, there are many variations that use different ingredients such as fruit, jellies, and cereals. You can experiment with different ingredients to create your own unique version of halo halo.