''Latík'' () refers to two different

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

-based ingredients in

Filipino cuisine Filipino cuisine ( fil, lutong Pilipino/pagkaing Pilipino) is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Fi ...

. In the Visayan region it refers to a syrupy caramelized coconut cream (coconut caramel) used as a dessert sauce. In the northern Philippines, it refers to solid byproducts of coconut oil production (coconut curds), used as garnishing for a variety of desserts.

Visayan ''Latik''

''Latík'' in its original sense in the

Visayan languages The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the languages of the Philippines, Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog language, Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which ar ...

literally means '

syrup In cooking, a syrup (less commonly sirup; from ar, شراب; , beverage, wine and la, sirupus) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars ...

' (equivalent to ''arnibal'' in Hiligaynon). It can refer to any type of thick sweetened liquids including

jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and entertai ...

. In the most common usage, however, ''latik'' means a syrupy

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific Flavoring, flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is serv ...

derived from reducing coconut milk and sugar. It is used much in the same way as syrup, in dishes like ''

kalamay ''Kalamay'' (also spelled ''Calamay'', literally "sugar"), is a sticky sweet delicacy that is popular in many regions of the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and ground glutinous rice. It can also be flavored with margarine ...

'' and '' suman''. It is usually Anglicized as "coconut caramel." A commercial version of the Visayan ''latik'' is marketed internationally as coconut syrup, though it should not be confused with

coconut sugar Coconut sugar (also known as coco sugar, coconut palm sugar, coco sap sugar or coconut blossom sugar) is a palm sugar produced from the sap of the flower bud stem of the coconut palm. Other types of palm sugar are made from the Kithul palm ( Car ...

derived from coconut sap.

Tagalog ''Latík''

''Latík'' in

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

is made from

coconut milk Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...

simmered in a saucepan until it reduces to

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates duri ...

and solids ("coconut curds") begin to form at the top surface. These solids are left to fry in the coconut oil until golden brown. In the Visayas, these solids are known as ''lunok'' in Cebuano; and ''balutai'' in Karay-a. ''Latík'' is commonly used as topping for a variety of Philippine dishes including ''

maja blanca ''Maja blanca'' () is a Filipino dessert with a gelatin-like consistency made primarily from coconut milk. Also known as coconut pudding, it is usually served during '' fiestas'' and during the holidays, especially Christmas. Description ''M ...

'', ''

sapin-sapin Sapin-sapin is a layered glutinous rice and coconut dessert in Philippine cuisine. It is made from rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, water, flavoring and coloring. It is usually sprinkled with latik or toasted desiccated coconut flakes. Tr ...

'', and ''

ube halaya ''Ube halaya'' or ''halayang ube'' (variant spellings ''halea'', ''haleya''; from the Spanish ''jalea'', "jam") is a Philippine dessert made from boiled and mashed purple yam (''Dioscorea alata'', locally known as ''ube''). Ube halaya is the ma ...

''. They are sometimes mistaken for fried caramelized coconut flesh (another type of garnishing/dessert known as ''

bukayo ''Bukayo'' is a Filipino dessert made from sweetened coconut strips. It is traditionally made by simmering strips or shredded bits of young, gelatinous coconut (''buko'') in water and ''sinuklob'', which is sugarcane muscovado sugar melted into ...

'' in

Bisaya Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...

References

{{portal bar, Food Foods containing coconut Dessert sauces Philippine condiments Philippine desserts

Visayan ''Latik''

Tagalog ''Latík''

See also

References