Palitaw

Palitaw is customarily made with glutinous rice soaked overnight in water and which is then processed into a soft dough via grinding. The availability of commercial sweet rice flour in most stores here in the US makes possible the regular enjoyment of these Filipino sweets at home. These cakes are very easy to make and require the simplest ingredients. As they are ready to eat once they float to the surface of the boiling water, they are named after the Filipino root word “litaw”, which literally means “to show” or “to surface” .

Palitaw cakes are flat in shape, are mochi-like in texture, and as they are mostly bland in taste, are usually served coated with grated mature coconut and dusted with a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and sugar. They are popular in the Philippines as a mid-afternoon snack or as a sweet finish to a meal.

 

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

2 cups sweet rice flour (Mochiko)
1 3/4 to 2 cups cold water
1 cup grated mature coconut
1/4 cup granulated sugar
toasted sesame seeds
water

Procedure

In a bowl, pour water over sweet rice flour in 1/4 cup increments, all the while mixing both ingredients into a soft, yet, pliable dough. Using a wide spoon, portion dough into 12 and shape each into flat, oval disks.

Meanwhile, in a deep, wide pot, bring about 5 inches of water into a rolling boil. Gently and individually drop disks into the boiling water. Do not overcrowd pot. When disks float to surface, remove from water. Drain well. Place on a parchment-lined platter in a single layer. Cover and allow to cool enough to handle.

Roll cooked palitaw on a bed of grated coconut to fully coat.

In a pan, toast sesame seeds over low heat until fragrant, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and in a small bowl, combine with sugar. Dust sugar mixture over coated cakes or serve alongside.

Tip:
I used 2 cups of water to make my palitaw and the consistency of my dough proved a tad difficult to form into shape. The resulting cakes, however, came out “makunat” (chewy) which is just how I like my palitaw. I managed my shaping task by very lightly coating my hands with olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking.

 

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