Local people in the Philippines go to one of three places to cool off in the tropical heat: the closest air-

conditioned mall, a swimming pool, or a cup of their favorite ice-cold beverage called Halo-Halo. It’s a
Filipino dessert classic that fills many people with pride and nostalgia, and it's a must-try for anyone
visiting the country. Halo-Halo, which means "mix-mix" in Filipino, is a famous dessert in the Philippines.
It is more than popular; it is THE Philippines' dessert. Summer is when the competition heats up, with
every sari-sari shop, street vendor, and fast-food chain offering their own take on the sweet treat.

So, let's take a closer look at the much-loved chaos. The layered dessert is a wild and vibrant concoction
of sweet treats that comes in a variety of flavors. Shaved ice, mung beans, kidney beans, garbanzos,
coconut strips (Macapuno), crushed young rice (Pinipig), and saba bananas are all standard ingredients
in any proper Halo-Halo. Various other ingredients, depending on area and taste, accompany both of
these fundamentals. Agar or gelatin balls, jackfruit, star apple, tapioca, Kaong palm fruit, or sago starch
are some examples.

Another Filipino specialty that you might not be familiar with is Nata de Coco, which is a very common
addition. Coconut water is fermented to make the chewy, transparent jelly. Now you're still wondering
why they don't mention this stunning scoop of violet ice cream at all? Ube ice cream is perhaps the most
distinguishing feature of the modern Filipino dessert. Ube is a purple yam that is indigenous to the
Philippines. While the traditional ube halaya has long been a part of Halo-Halo, the purple ice cream is a
more recent addition.

The Japanese settlers introduced the Filipinos to this famous shaved ice dessert. Historians say that the
Japanese had sweet desserts named 'Mitsumame' or'mongo con hielo' and 'kakigori,' which are similar
to the Filipino Halo-halo. Since there was a scarcity of ice before the Americans established the Insular
Ice Plant, Filipinos were only just becoming acquainted with ice cream and frozen treats at the time. As a
result, the Japanese dessert received a favorable response. While the Japanese settlers left after WWII,
the Filipinos took advantage of the dessert's success and tweaked it to fit their tastes, such as adding
ube jam or ube ice cream to the mix.

More of the aforementioned native Filipino ingredients were added to the sweet confusion over time.
Finally, Spanish leche flan was added to full Halo-Halo. Making it a true reflection of the Philippines'
cultural and colonial heritage. Influences from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Spain are
mixed together. Since then, Halo-halo become one of the most popular comfort foods in the Philippines.
Here are some of the most common halo-halo ingredients that are used:

 crushed or shaved ice

 milk (fresh or evaporated)
 sugar, if needed
 sweetened saba or plantain bananas
 sweetened sweet potatoes
 fresh or sweetened langka (jack fruit)
 sweetened garbanzos or beans
 coconut strips or sweetened macapuno
 sweetened red munggo
 nata de coco (coconut gel)
 sago or tapioca pearls or jelly cut into cubes
 pinipig
 leche flan (topping)
 ube jam or ube ice cream (topping)

ANGELICA BEATRICE CABADDU