Key Points
- 'Halo-Halo' is loosely translated to 'mix-mix'
- The popular dessert is based off of the Japanese kakigori.
- Chefs Kim and Andro Ambrose own Mix-Mix in Sydney, a food truck that specialises in halo-halo.
*Kwentong Palayok is SBS Filipino’s podcast series focused on Filipino food, its origins and history, and its evolution both in the homeland and Australia.
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Kwentong Palayok: Halo-halo, more than a sweet dessert
SBS Filipino
06/10/202316:09
Halo-halo, loosely translated to 'mix-mix', is a dessert made with shaved ice with various sweetened ingredients and drizzled with evaporated milk. Ingredients are typically white beans, red beans, or garbanzos, colorful jellies (also known as gulaman), nata de coco (coconut gel), sweetened bananas, and pinipig (crunchy rice grains pounded into flakes)
On top of the shaved ice usually sits a dollop of ube halaya (purple yam jam), a slice of leche flan (caramel egg custard), and a scoop of ice cream.
Since halo-halo has been a part of Filipino culture for a very long time, Filipinos have come up with modern twists and concoctions to the so-called 'old school' halo-halo.
There’s Razon’s sweetened bananas, macapuno, and leche flan, Kabigting’s carabao milk pastillas, cream corn, and beans. On the more adventurous side, Ben’s in Laguna has chilis and salted egg. And many more.
Historians have traced halo-halo's roots back to the Japanese.
According to famous Filipino food historians Felice Prudente Sta. Maria and Ambeth Ocampo, halo-halo originated from the pre-war Japanese who lived in the Philippines. As a snack, they used to make kakigori, a Japanese dessert consisting of sweetened beans, like garbanzos, kidney beans or mongo, milk, and shaved ice.
The Japanese created and monopolised a small business selling kakigori, which they renamed mongo-ya. Mongo is a Tagalog word for red beans. This was sold for ten cents each.
Another critical historical event that paved the way for halo-halo to form its roots was when the Americans occupied the Philippines in 1898. In 1902, the Americans built the first ice plant in Manila, making ice readily available for Filipinos.
Of course, Filipinos adopted and developed Japanese kakigori to suit local tastes, replacing with and mixing indigenous ingredients, resulting in the creation of the halo-halo Filipinos are now known the world over.
In Sydney, one food business that’s putting halo-halo in the limelight is Mix-Mix Co., a food truck business owned by chef couple Kim and Andro Ambrose.
In the podcast, Kim talks about why she and Andro chose halo-halo for their food business. Kim shares that compared to other daunting Pinoy food like diniguan and sisig, halo-halo and other iced desserts may just be the soft introduction to Filipino cuisine that others can easily get on board with.
She also shares that halo-halo, both its visual appeal and taste, just immediately makes you feel nostalgic, bringing you back home.
