Pichi-Pichi with Cheese: Steamed Cassava Pearls
Recipe Guy
Filipino cassava dessert | Steamed kakanin | Cheese coating
Pichi-pichi has a soft, springy bite that gives finely grated cheese something to cling to. Frozen grated cassava keeps this version straightforward, while small molds turn the sweet mixture into individual pieces ready for cheese, coconut, or a little of both.
Why make it: This version uses frozen grated cassava and small silicone molds, making the merienda favorite easier to manage in a U.S. kitchen.
Fresh From the Kitchen
About This Recipe
Cassava, sugar, and water make the main mixture, with a pinch of salt and optional flavoring or color. It needs stirring as you portion it: the grated cassava settles, and the first mold should receive the same balance of solids and liquid as the last.
Steaming changes the opaque mixture into a more translucent, springy dessert. Cooling before unmolding makes the pieces easier to handle, and cooling before coating keeps the cheese from melting into clumps. Fine shreds cover the sticky surfaces more evenly than long, coarse strands.
Cooking Notes
- Thaw the grated cassava completely and break up any compacted clumps before mixing. Stir through the bottom of the bowl every few portions to keep the batter consistent.
- Grease the molds lightly and evenly, including their corners. Once the pieces are comfortable to handle, loosen them gently with a small spoon rather than pulling at the tops.
Ingredient Notes
For the cassava
Use commercially prepared grated cassava sold for steamed desserts. Read and follow its cooking directions; obtain them from the manufacturer if absent. Frozen does not mean ready to eat, and fresh root is not an approved substitution here.
For the coating
Cheese adds salty contrast, while coconut gives a softer classic finish. You can offer both.
Pichi-Pichi with Cheese Recipe
This version uses frozen grated cassava and small silicone molds, making the merienda favorite easier to manage in a U.S. kitchen.
Shopping List
- frozen grated cassava
- sugar
- water
- pandan extract optional
- annatto optional
- grated coconut
- mild cheddar or Eden-style cheese
- neutral oil
Ingredients
Cassava Mixture
- 1 pound commercially prepared frozen grated cassava from a reputable supplier, suitable for steamed desserts; thaw in the refrigerator and follow package preparation and minimum cooking directions
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon pandan extract or annatto color, optional
- Pinch of salt
Molds
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil for all the molds
- 24 heatproof silicone molds or cups, each 60 ml (1/4-cup) capacity, approximately 2 inches across and 1 1/4 inches deep
Coatings
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated mild cheddar or processed cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated coconut, optional
Instructions
- Stir cassava, sugar, water, optional flavoring, and salt until evenly combined.
- Brush the twenty-four 60 ml molds with the measured teaspoon of oil. Set up a steamer with water below its rack and room between molds for steam.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the molds, about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons each, keeping the fill depth no greater than 3/4 inch. Stir from the bottom between pours. Steam in batches if needed and refrigerate waiting mixture.
- Steam covered over steady simmering water for about 35 to 45 minutes per batch, starting the timer when steam returns. Follow any longer package minimum. Check a center piece: it should be translucent and springy throughout, without wet or chalky paste on a skewer. Appearance alone is not a cassava-detoxification test.
- Cool until comfortable to handle.
- Unmold gently with a small spoon or spatula.
- Roll in grated cheese, coconut, or a mix of both.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate nutrition for 1 piece (one-twenty-fourth of the cheese-coated batch). Includes all cheddar and the teaspoon of mold oil. Optional coconut is excluded; coating or oil left behind lowers intake. Calculated from published food data, not laboratory tested; brands and portions vary.
Tips For The Best Pichi-Pichi with Cheese
- Stir often: Cassava settles, so keep the mixture even.
- Use small molds: Small portions steam more evenly and are easier to coat.
- Cool before coating: Hot pichi-pichi can melt cheese into clumps.
- Grate cheese finely: Fine shreds cling better to the sticky surface.
How To Serve And Store
Serve briefly at room temperature for merienda or dessert. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 F, and use within 3 days. Keep cheese or coconut separate until serving when possible; let only the portions being served lose their chill.
Common Questions
Can I use fresh cassava?
No fresh-root substitution is supplied. Use the commercially prepared grated product and its required cooking instructions; peeling, grating and freezing do not establish safe processing of an unknown root.
Can I skip pandan?
Yes. Plain pichi-pichi with cheese is delicious.
Why is my pichi-pichi cloudy?
It may need more steaming time to turn translucent.
What cheese works best?
A mild processed cheese or cheddar-style cheese grates well and balances the sweetness.
Why are some pichi-pichi pieces firmer than others?
The cassava may have settled while you filled the molds, or the portions may have different depths. Stir between batches and fill matching molds evenly so each receives a similar mixture.
Can I coat the pichi-pichi with cheese straight from the steamer?
Let the pieces cool first. Very hot pichi-pichi can melt the cheese into uneven clumps, while cooler pieces are easier to release and roll through a shallow layer of fine shreds.
Are you team cheese, team coconut, or both for pichi-pichi? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: Filipino dessert and bakery source research from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, The Dusky Kitchen, and Filipino-American dessert sources in the site roadmap.
Technique and food-safety references: kawalingpinoy.com; foodstandards.gov.au.
