How To Make Halo-Halo

Step 1

Cook the tapioca (optional). Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup small tapioca pearls, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer until the tapioca is al dente (translucent with small white centers), about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Step 2

Slice the bananas. Peel and slice 3 saba or 2 regular bananas crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Step 3

Make the syrup. Place 1 cup water, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a large saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add the bananas. Add the bananas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and tapioca if using, and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

Step 5

Cut the jackfruit. Remove the jackfruit from a 20-ounce can, leaving the syrup behind. Coarsely chop the jackfruit into bite-sized pieces. Return the jackfruit back to the can.

Step 6

Make the milk mixture. Place 2/3 cup coconut milk, 3 tablespoons evaporated milk, and 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and stir to combine.

Step 7

Assemble the halo-halo. For each serving, layer the ingredients in a 16-ounce glass in the following order: 1/3 cup minatamis na saging, 1 scoop coconut or ube ice cream, 2 tablespoons macapuno, 2 tablespoons ube halaya, 1/4 cup jackfruit and syrup, and 1/3 cup coco de nata. Top with 1 cup shaved ice and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture. Add more shaved ice to fill the glass if needed.

Step 8

Serve and enjoy. Serve with a long spoon and mix it all up before eating.