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Kalamay sa Buri

It was a curiosity order via an online buy and sell community chatroom. And for only PhP20 a piece, these Kalamay sa Buri were worth the sugar high and the calories. 


Also called "parak" or "pinarak" in the local foodie dialect, Kalamay sa Buri is a sweet native delicacy made from the sap or juice of the buri palm tree. 


The stately Buri Palm

Buri is among the largest and most common palm found in the Philippines which can live up to 30 years or more.  (Text and above photo source)

While the leaf is considered the most important part of this palm tree - which is made into hats, ropes, brooms, mats, bags and more, buri also offers a lot as a food source.

Boiled Budyawi

Buri buds locally known as budyawi are eaten boiled, raw in salads or processed into sweets like kaong. It is like boiled corn with each kernel enclosed in a pod of its own.

Budyawi Pods signal the death of the buri palm

The trunk of the buri tree contains a good quality of starch even during its growing stage and is collected when the tree dies. I've tried a puto made from this buri starch in Cebu and it is like puto lanson or cassava puto.


Buri sap is one of the sources of the fermented drink locally known as tuba. The fresh sweet sap is a good source of this beverage and can be made into cider when fermented. 

The sap can also be made into a type of sugar which in its (palm sugar in general) unrefined form is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals. 

Research studies have found that palm sugar contains minerals like potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, manganese and copper; small amounts of phytonutrients such as polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanidin; and antioxidants.


But one of the biggest reasons of the popularity of palm sugar is due to its low glycemic index or GI - a method of measuring how carbohydrates impact blood glucose levels. A low GI indicates that the food is slowly absorbed, preventing the spike in insulin levels. (Source NDTV)

To make Kalamay sa Buri, the tuba is collected daily until generous amount is stored. It is then pre-heated to remove excess water and to "pasteurize" the buri sap. 

Now comes the actual cooking, the juice is then boiled for around 4 hrs until it thickens and resembles "muscovado" sugar.

The Process of Making Kalamay Sa Buri
from Humblag

It is then "whisked" to ensure uniform cooking and blending. Finally, it is placed into its "container" made from of palm tree leaves then left for at least 10 minutes to harden. (Please check this site for a more detailed featured of Kalamay sa Buri)



The result is a block of brown sugar which has nutty flavour which is more of a candy rather than a sugar which one can use to sweeten drinks. 


If blindfolded, one can even mistakenly guess it as a bukayo for it tastes almost alike minus the coconut strips. 


It is an addictive "nibbles and bites" and you will just be surprised you've already finished one block of it. 

Speaking of which, I'd treat myself to a generous bite after finishing this article literally - on a sweet note!

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