Palitaw

No ratings yet

Palitaw are soft, chewy Filipino rice cakes made from glutinous rice flour, boiled until they float, then coated in coconut, sesame seeds, and sugar.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings:

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

Dough

160 grams glutinous rice flour 1 cup, aka sweet rice flour or mochiko brand
12 grams granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon
pinch kosher salt
113 grams water ½ cup, or coconut milk

Coating

60 grams unsweetened shredded coconut 1 cup or more as needed
35 grams white sesame seeds ¼ cup, toasted*, as needed
50 grams granulated sugar ¼ cup, or light brown sugar

Instructions

Dough

In a medium bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, sugar, salt, and water. Use a sturdy spatula to mix together to form a smooth, pliable dough.
*You may knead the dough together by hand.
Scoop 1 ½Tbsp portions (or use a #24 scoop). Use your palms to roll each potion in a ball. Then, flatten to a disk about ¼-inch thick. Alternative, you may use a small rolling pin.
Fill a pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Depending on the size of your pot, gently drop 5-10 rolled out dough rounds into the boiling water. The dough will sink to the bottom of the pot. Gently stir water to ensure dough doesn't stick to the bottom.
Boil dough for about 3 minutes until the rounds float to the top. Scoop out floating rice cakes with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to drain while you cook remaining rounds.
While still hot, coat rounds in shredded coconut.

Coating

Gently toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Spread seeds into a single layer. Stir or shake the pan frequently to evenly distribute heat. This process takes about 3 minutes.
Sesame seeds are done when they smell nutty and have a light golden color. Immediately remove from the pan and transfer to a bowl or plate to stop the cooking process.
Once slightly cooled, toss toasted sesame seeds with granulated sugar. Sprinkle mixture over coconut coated rice cakes, or pressed rice cakes into mixture.

Notes

Palitaw doesn’t hold well. This is the kind of snack meant to be eaten warm, fresh from the pot. That’s why I intentionally make a small batch. This recipe makes just enough for a family of three or four to finish in one sitting. No leftovers.

Nutrition