Latik

As I was writing the article about "biko", I suddenly realized that the term "latik" which is used in the recipe means a different thing in Tagalog.

In Visayan, latik refers to the caramelized coconut milk and sugar which is then mixed to the cooked rice to make "biko" or simply as jam for bread.

Latik in Tagalog, on the other hand, is a by-product when you are trying to extract oil from a coconut milk. The process involves boiling the coconut milk until oil comes out and the solids that come out is the latik. Latik is then used as toppings for various "kakanin" (native delicacies).

In Visayan, the tagalog latik is called "lunok" (stress on the first syllable). Lunok (stress on the 2nd syllable) in tagalog is swallow. Oh, how complicated! Hahaha!