 Uraró cookies fromBataan | |
| Alternative names | araró, arrowroot cookies, arrowroot biscuits, galletas de Liliw |
|---|---|
| Type | Cookie |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
Uraró, also known asararó orarrowroot cookies, areFilipinocookies made fromarrowroot flour. They have a dry and powdery texture and are usually flower-shaped. They originate from theTagalog people of southernLuzon, particularly in the provinces ofLaguna,Quezon, andMarinduque.[1][2]
The name is derived fromuraró (alsoararó,araru,aroru, oraruru), theTagalog andSpanish common name of the maranta arrowroot,Maranta arundinacea, the source of the flour.[3][4][5] It is also calledgalletas de Lilio (Spanish for 'Liliw biscuits'), after the town ofLiliw inLaguna, where it is a regional specialty.[1]
Traditionaluraró production is labor-intensive, starting with the harvesting of arrowroots. The roots are washed and then crushed with a stone on a slab of hardwood in a process known aspag-ilod. The liquid resulting from this process is collected and then undergoes a second process, thepinapatining, wherein it is allowed to sit until the water separates from the starch. The water is poured off and the starchy mass is kneaded to extract more water. Finally the starch is dried and sieved throughkatsa (muslin) to produce the flour. The entire process takes an entire day. The flour is then mixed with renderedlard, duck egg yolks, sugar, and milk. They are then baked in apugon, the traditional Filipino clay ovens.[1]
Modernuraró, however, are usually made from arrowroot flour, sugar, milk, margarine (or butter), and eggs. In some cases, arrowroot flour is even substituted withtapioca flour orrice flour, resulting in poorer quality cookies.Uraró can also be modified with other ingredients likecoconut cream ormaple syrup. Both of these versions usually lack the melt-in-the-mouth quality of traditionaluraró made with pure arrowroot flour and lard.[1][6][7][8]
Uraró are traditionally sold in cylindrical stacks wrapped in coloredcrêpe paper (papel de Japon).Uraró are similar in texture and are sometimes confused withputo seco, another powdery Filipino biscuit. Buturaró are not as dry asputo seco and have a milky and buttery taste.[9]
Media related toUraro at Wikimedia Commons
