My recent trip to Bohol was interesting in that despite all of 
the development that included new roads, fancy malls and dozens of hotels on Panglao’s beaches, the islands still had that proud provincial feel that existed decades ago. Surrounding modest wooden homes were carefully tended gardens that bespoke a pride of place that is getting rarer and rarer these days. It was also nice to see that many of the native delicacies such as broas (ladyfingers) and other baked goods still thriving. And on departure, a line of at least a dozen vendors at the pier were selling another throwback to my early 1970’s visits to the island – calamay! Calamay is a sweet concoction of ground sticky rice, sugar, coconut milk, vanilla and some peanuts (optional). It is sold in smooth coconut shells that are sealed shut by a characteristic band of red tape.
As kids we fondly referred to calamay as kulangot or snot because 
it had a similar consistency but other than that unflattering comparison it was actually rather delicious. I bought a few calamay on my most recent trip (3 pieces for PHP100 and that was the tourist price) to see if it still tasted as good as I remembered. Opened on a hot day, it was more sticky than I recalled and it took some effort to spoon some out to taste. It still tasted good but my tastebuds have evolved away from the ultra sweet versions. And the twist with peanuts is something relatively knew, we always had “pure†calamay as kids. If it is refrigerated for a few days, you can slice off a sliver and eat it like you would cheese… I have never seen the stuff made but I understand the ground rice flour is added to near boiling coconut milk and sugar and stirred until it reaches the desired consistency. Vanilla is added to enhance the flavor and chopped peanuts if that grabs you.
19 Responses
Yummy calamay! Marketman, you sure know how to pick on the yummiest goodies! Calamay is another food which really reminds me of my childhood in Cagayan de Oro. “Imported” from Bohol,it is a treat which I never forgot along with binaki, bulanghoy and maruya! Thanks for the reminders Marketman, I’ll make sure my nephews and nieces get to have a taste of these treats!
Ahh, One of my more memorable childhood pasalubong foods
(courtesy of my boholano yaya)…’kulangot’ also came in
different sizes, I think the one in the pic is mid-sized,
Ive seen kulangot as big as cantaloupes and as small as
siniguelas (sold as a ‘set’ held inside bamboo sticks and coconut leaf (?) twine.
Oh, and the I think they also sell these in Baguio.
I think this is also the same as the one’s sold in Baguio, but with a different consistency. This was a really yummy treat during my younger days and we would never leave Baguio with out buyung them.
calamay masarap yan
more than words, masarap yan!
the ones in Baguio are really really small, the size of calamansi. Are those baby coconut shells?
The ones sold in Baguio is in a long slim tube that comes with a stick to s[poon the contents out. We call it “sundot-kulangot”. Similar to kalamay in taste. In Negros, they call this “Kalamay-hati”, maybe because of that red tape which sealed the coco shell, which was cut into halves. I dunno, am just guessing…. I’m not really fond of it though but I’ve tasted if, out of curiosity, and I like the sweetness.
hi guyz, pede ko ask??
I want to ask about the Nutritional Facts of Calamay for my thesis, if its okay.Anyways, I agree with all of you Calamay truly is masarap. My father always bring Calamay everytime he visits Bohol, especially the one inside the ‘bagol’. Thanks for the time guyz. If anyone has the Nutritional Facts of the calamay just send it to me at kurtzkmg@yahoo.com, tanx guyz I really, really appreciate it. (My teacher gives me a headache.)
could i have the recipe for the popular calamay of bohol? i really need it for my girlfriend’s thesis if you do have one kindly send it to my yahoomail ryan_ilogon@yahoo.com thank you ciao!
kalamay in BOHOL is very dilecious
Labihang lami-a ang calamay labina ug ibutang sa pan ug lanlanon lami gihapon number 1 ang calamay para nako.
can You please post the scientific name of caLamay?
i aM hoping that yOu would anSwer me aS soon as possible because we will use that name in our reSearch…..thanK u
ding, calamay is a cooked delicacy. As far as I know, it has NO scientific name and any teacher or professor who tells you that it does have scientific name should go back to school. :)
lami jud kaajo ang calamay…wa jamoy maka lupig!
ohh,calamay i missssed u so badly im here in doha qatar for 6mnths i always tell my madam i like to eat calamay,she ask what is calamay?i tell her it was a halwa(sweet)food in my province & EVERY TOURIST visit to bohol never leave bohol without a plastic of calamay,know what she said when u go home pls send me calamay ha 100 pcs,oh my god magkano na mabayaran ko nyan,dnt worry calamay akin ka lang!!!!HEHEHE
delicious kalamay???!!!!!!!
we always love to eat it……because it is the product that made the bohol known of. I miss u so much calamay in jagna………….but dont worry i will always have you….
hindi talaga ako mabubuhay kung hindi ako makaka kain ng kalamay….promise…padalhan niyo nalang ako ha…. hehehe…..
hello everyone.
does anyone know how to make this yummy KALAMAY from Bohol? pls share..miss kona yan..recipe po ng kalamay pki share nmn.tnx
I love calamay. My mom is from Bohol, and that’s the only “pasalubong” we want whenever we know someone is coming back from Bohol. I love to know how to make it. Can someone post it? Thanks in advance.