rice cakes of the Philippines constitute an interesting group of rice dishes, which in the Philippines would most often be eaten at a merienda (light afternoon meal; see merenda).
Puto is the generic name for a rice cake made from galapong (rice flour), slightly sweetened and steamed. The rice for galapong is not ground dry, but soaked overnight and then ground wet, formerly in large stone grinders. Fermentation takes place during the soaking, and yeast is usually used. Almost every town or region has a typical puto, a distinctive recipe developed in it reflecting regional taste, or made for special occasions.
