Hopia mungoMung bean pastries
Binondo, Manila's old Chinatown, is where Filipinos queue for hopia, flat little pastries with a paper-thin, flaky skin and a dense, sweet filling. Brought over by Hokkien bakers, they are now sold everywhere from provincial bus stations to convenience stores, and a box is a standard pasalubong (gift) after a trip. The classic is hopia mungo, filled with yellow mung bean paste; purple ube is the other favourite, and you can swap 300 g of sweetened ube halaya for the mung beans. Hopia pastry is traditionally made with lard; this version uses vegetable oil and shortening, so it is vegan. Chef's tip: dry the mung bean paste in the pan until a spoonful holds its shape when rolled; a soft paste is the commonest mistake, and it squeezes out of the seams as you flatten the pastries.




