Kapeng Bigas [Filipino Rice Coffee]

 I love my coffee and can't start my day without it. A while ago I wrote an article on making Full Roast Barley Coffee but recently I've found the price of barley prohibitive to use in this way. Coffee is also an unnecessary expense that I cannot afford. So on pursuing the internet, as is my want, I came across this drink made in the Philippines. Currently, I can purchase rice at up to four times cheaper than barley so this seemed an ideal drink to try. Especially since I always have rice as it makes up a main part of my carb intake.

There is no definitive recipe for this on the internet but after trying a few of the suggestions out there I finalised this as my method. Many suggest literally burning the rice but this produces an unpleasant, almost charcoal aftertaste.

Note that versions of this are also made in other parts of the world, Sungnyung in Korea and Ranovola in Madagascar to name just two.

Benefits of drinking Kapeng Bigas include being caffeine-free, gluten-free, low-calorie, stomach-soothing (acid reflux) and many other benefits are listed though some I find dubious.

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 230c or Gas Mark 8. 

Take 500g of rice, any type will work, and spread an even layer on a roasting tray.

Pop in the oven and roast giving the tray a good shake every 15 minutes to mix the grains for an even roast.

Depending on the rice, the process can take from an hour to two hours. For a medium roast style, aim for a rich caramel colour but for a full roast a nice chocolate colour is the target.

At your desired roast, remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once cool store in an airtight jar or tin.

Use

Traditionally the roast rice grains are then put in a cup with boiling water and allowed to infuse then strained out or using a french press will save straining. Alternatively, I prefer to treat it as coffee and grind it in a coffee grinder. I then add one heaped teaspoon to my cup before adding boiling water. After a good vigorous stir the 'coffee' settles very quickly and can be drunk till the end just leaving the grain as a layer in the bottom. Equally a french press could be used if you prefer not to have grounds in your cup.