At the 2024 Ube Festival in Melbourne early this year, 95-year-old Aurelia Cerdana, popularly known as Nanay Auring, became one of the stars of the show.
Surrounded by people eager to learn, she stood there, a small but mighty figure, showing everyone how to make a special Filipino snack called Suman sa Ibus. Her hands moved with the kind of skill that comes from making something for years and years, wrapping sticky rice in bamboo leaves so neatly that it was like watching magic happen.
People called her the Suman Queen because she was just that good. As she shared her recipe, she was clearly doing more than just making food. She was keeping her family’s traditions alive, showing how the love for cooking can keep us connected to where we come from.
A $10 bill that tells a story
Back in 1997, I had the pleasure of being Nanay Auring’s first customer when she started selling her Suman sa Ibus. The $10 note I handed her became more than just a transaction; it symbolised the beginning of her incredible journey.
That simple exchange wasn’t just about buying Suman sa Ibus from her; it represented the start of something much bigger.
Every time Nanay Auring showed off that $10 note, her eyes lit up with pride, underscoring how her Suman sa Ibus gave her a sense of financial independence and allowed her to contribute something valuable to our community.
The Roots of Tradition
The story of Nanay Auring’s suman is deeply interwoven with her love for the traditional crafts of her hometown in Iloilo. Concerned about her well-being and fearing the idleness that retirement often brings, Nanay Auring’s daughters, Cora and Frances, suggested she pursue her passion for weaving and cooking at home. With her son-in-law Melvin’s culinary skills and her expertise in traditional crafts, they revived the art of making ibos, thus beginning a new chapter in their lives.
Family treasure blending suman and generosity
Nanay Auring’s journey with Suman sa Ibos is not just a story of cooking but of family, migration, and heartfelt generosity. Although she moved to Australia in the early ’90s, it wasn’t until 1997 that she turned a home-based hobby into a modest enterprise.
This humble endeavour, born from a desire to occupy her days meaningfully, grew into something truly special—it became a means to support her family back in the Philippines.
Every time she set about making Suman sa Ibos, Nanay Auring would always relish listening to André Rieu’s concerts on her iPad. Her kitchen would transform into a cozy and welcoming space, filled with the fragrant smell of freshly prepared suman. Her dedication to this delicious traditional Filipino delicacy showcases her commitment to keeping her family’s legacy alive and nurturing a sense of community among expatriates yearning for a taste of home.
Living in Melbourne with her beloved family, including her daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, Nanay Auring shares a life rich in love, strength, and the joy of giving.
Awarded the title of Mother of the Year in 2014 by the Ilonggo Association of Victoria, her accolade is a tribute to the wide-reaching impact she’s had, not only within her family but throughout the broader community, by spreading her Suman sa Ibos and the spirit of kindness that she embodies.
Legacy Wrapped in Bamboo Leaves
Nanay Auring’s demonstration at the Ube Festival was not just a culinary showcase but a cultural bridge connecting the diaspora to their roots. Her Suman sa Ibos, with its simple yet rich ingredients – white and purple glutinous rice, salt, and coconut milk – wrapped in bamboo leaves, encapsulates the essence of Filipino cuisine’s simplicity, resourcefulness, and flavour.
As Nanay Auring shared her recipe and techniques with the festival attendees, she did more than teach them how to make a dessert; she imparted a slice of her story. Her suman is a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and the enduring power of sharing one’s culture through food. Nanay Auring has become more than just a vendor of Filipino delicacies; she is a matriarch of tradition, proving that food can be a profound vessel for storytelling, connection, and cultural preservation.
How to Make Suman sa Ibus
Creating Suman sa Ibus, as demonstrated by Nanay Auring, is a delicate process that combines the simplicity of ingredients with the complexity of preparation. Here’s how to bring a piece of this tradition into your kitchen:
Ingredients:
- White Glutinous Rice
- Purple or Ube Coloured Glutinous Rice, also known as “Tapol” in Ilonggo
- Salt
- Coconut Milk (Gata)
Preparation:
- Soak the white and purple glutinous rice in water for at least 2 to 3 hours.
- Prepare the bamboo leaves by pre-washing and drying them. (Traditionally, young coconut leaves were used for their unique flavour and aroma, but due to their scarcity in Victoria, bamboo leaves serve as a practical alternative.)
Making the Suman:
- Mix the soaked rice with coconut milk and salt to taste.
- Place a portion of the rice mixture onto a bamboo leaf and wrap it securely, ensuring the ends are properly sealed.
- Tie the suman with the rice sack’s thread to keep the wrap intact during cooking.
- Steam the wrapped suman for several hours until the rice is fully cooked and sticky.
Through her demonstration and the shared recipe, Nanay Auring invites everyone to partake in a culinary tradition that spans generations and oceans, bringing the taste of the Philippines to the world.
