Delicious Bot-ong from Brgy. Lanag in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

If a picture is worth a thousand words, there would be thousands of the word namit (delicious) written all over this native delicacy called bot-ong.

Bot-ong is made with glutinous rice mixed with gata wrapped in banana leaves in a pointed shape then boiled until cooked.

It is like ibos but with different shape and wrapper. Ibos is mostly tubular and wrapped on coconut leaves while bot-ong is pointed at one end and wrapped in banana leaves.

Ibos and Bot-ong being wrapped and still uncooked. Photo from Google

While the dips could be interchangeable, ibos is usually paired with sugar, bukayo or ripe mango while bot-ong with latik which is made with gata and sugar boiled until it is syrupy and caramelized.

One of my fave bot-ongs now comes from Brgy. Lanag in Santa Barbara, Iloilo from the same makers of Puto sa Lanag.

I could eat 5 or even more in just one sitting when the bot-ong is warm and drizzled with the latik.

Will give details on how to order these delicious native delicacy when I get them…

Photo (first) credits to Rosie Moscardon of the Santa Barbara Centennial Museum

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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