HANGING RICE IN CEBU

"Hanging rice" is the English term Cebuanos apply to something called puso, which is, essentially,

boiled rice. But leaving it at that is like dismissing fettuccine as noodles. Puso is rice, yes, but it is

more than that; puso is an integral part of the barbecue culture of Cebu, and I would go so far

as to call it an art. Puso is to the Cebuano what the baguette is to the Parisian, or the bagel is

to the New Yorker. This page is my wholy inadequate tribute to puso.

It should be noted that while people barbecue all over the Philippines, barbecuing has evolved into a

major culture only here in Cebu. No suprise, then, that puso are unique to Cebu. For the citizens of

 Manila, puso are just as exotic as they are to you. Well, almost.

An additional factor is that rice served in the form of puso has, by definition, been divided

 into standard units. This allows quick and easy accounting between suppliers and restorateurs,

as well as between restorateurs and customers. Each puso delivered by the same supplier is

exactly the same size

Perhaps you are by now itching to try puso out. If you want large, expensive, and fresh

puso, go to Tsibogs, where the puso is often still warm. Note that you should

specify "puso", since upscale barbecue restaurants serve both puso as well as rice

 boiled in the traditional way. Puso are universally of good quality, though some of the

cheaper eateries may serve stale puso (as well as stale barbecue). You can tell

that a packet of puso is old if the rice is starting to turn a brownish hue around the edges.

 Note that puso is just rice; it is not salted or flavored in any way.

However, the rice does pick up some fragrance and pigmentation from the palm leaves.

 Eventually one becomes used to this.

STEPS IN MAKING HANGING RICE

PREPARING THE STRIPS

THE BASIC SHAPE IS FORMED . . .

. . . AND WOVEN WITH INCREDIBLE SPEED. . .

. . . UNTIL RICE IS INSERTED

A BEAUTIFUL GREEN PRIOR TO COOKING

THE PUSO STAY IN THESE DRUMS FOR 30 MINUTES

LOOKS ALMOST READY

DONE