Magic Water is a viral Filipino drink popularized by Binondo’s Aling Bebe. It’s refreshing and perfect for the summer season as a sweet, thirst-quenching drink!
Summer is approaching and what better way to beat the summer heat than with a glass of ice cold water…or is it?
“Magic Water” went viral back in 2022, which was popularized by Aling Bebe’s refreshment stand in Binondo, Philippines. What looked like an icy, crisp pot of water actually contained clear gulaman (gelatin), mixed along ice with a hint of banana essence.
It became viral in part due to its affordability (5-10 Philippine pesos) and Aling Bebe’s determination to show up for her customer’s every day life in her Binondo corner. Since the 1980s, she’s been consistently helping to quench the thirst of so many Filipinos one magic water cup at a time.
What is Palamig?
Palamig is an umbrella term for the various types of sweet, chilled Filipino drinks that are typically consumed in especially hot days.
They almost always contain some sort of jelly-like ingredient, such as sago or tapioca pearls, nada de coco, coconut strips, and/or gulaman (gelatin).
The drink itself can also vary in terms of flavour. Some may be coconut-flavoured, others may taste like calamansi, melon, ube, or even pandan.
This version of palamig is simply sweetened with sugar and requires a few drops of banana essence. I like to think of it as the sister to sago’t gulaman, which is essentially similar to Magic Water, though it uses brown sugar instead (making it darker in comparison).
Magic Water (Palamig)
Course: Snacks, DrinksCuisine: PhilippinesMagic Water is a viral Filipino drink popularized by Binondo’s Aling Bebe. It’s refreshing and perfect for the summer season as a sweet, thirst-quenching drink.
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Ingredients
4 cups water
1/4 – 1/2 cup white sugar, to taste
3 -5 drops banana extract, to taste
- Gulaman (gelatin)
1 pack (1 tbsp) gelatin powder
2 cups water
2 tbsp white sugar
Directions
- Begin by preparing the gulaman. Mix 1 pack (or 1 tbsp) of the gelatin mix with 1/2 cup of water. Stir, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine together the white sugar and the remaining 1.5 cups of water in a sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add in the gelatin-water mixture. Stir immediately to prevent clumping and continue cooking on a low simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes until the gelatin has dissolved.
- Pour the gelatin mixture into a heat-proof container. Cover, and let chill to set. Once firm, cut the gelatin into cubes and set aside.
- To prepare the drink, combine together the water, white sugar, and banana extract. Stir vigorously to dissolve the sugar completely. Taste and adjust to your preference.
- Add in the cubed gelatin and a hefty amount of ice. Stir and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
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