Palitaw are pillowy-soft, chewy rice cakes coated with grated coconut and topped with a sugar mixture. You can make them in less than 10 minutes with just a few ingredients!
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What is Palitaw?
Palitaw, a popular snack or dessert in the Philippines, are sweet rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour. They're boiled until they float to the surface, which is how they get their name from the Filipino word "litaw," meaning "to float."
Similar to dumplings and Japanese mochi, these treats have a soft and chewy texture. They are typically coated with grated coconut, sesame seeds or peanuts, and sugar.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour (Sweet rice flour): This type of flour is made from glutinous or sticky rice, also called "malagkit" in Filipino. Despite its name, it is gluten-free and not sweet at all.
- Grated Coconut: For the coating, freshly grated mature coconut is best. If fresh isn't available, frozen grated coconut is a good alternative. You can also use desiccated coconut or dried coconut flakes that aren't too big, but be sure to coat the Palitaw while warm so it rehydrates.
- Coconut sugar: This unrefined sugar, which has a lower glycemic index, can be used as a substitute for granulated or white sugar. It tastes similar to brown sugar with a mild caramel flavor.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Add ⅓ cup of peanuts to a coffee grinder, a mini food processor, or a resealable bag and a rolling pin.
Step 2: Coarsely grind the peanuts until you achieve the desired texture.
Step 3: Toast ¼ cup of sesame seeds over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Allow the toasted seeds to cool before using.
Step 4: Combine ⅓ cup coconut sugar, ground peanuts, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Set it aside.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of glutinous rice flour, 1 cup of water, and a pinch of salt. Mix together until a dough forms.
It should leave an indentation when pressed with your fingers. Adjust the consistency by adding a tablespoon of flour if too sticky or a little water if too dry.
Step 6: Scoop the dough using a 1-ounce cookie scoop equivalent to 2 tablespoons of dough. Place it on your lightly floured hand or on a baking sheet.
Step 7: Press the dough between your palms until it's about ½-inch thick, or use the back of a spoon to flatten it. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Step 8: Bring water to a boil. Carefully drop the patties into the boiling water.
Cook them until they float to the surface, which takes about 1-2 minutes. Remove them from the water and let the excess water drain off.
Step 9: Coat with grated coconut on both sides, then place on a serving plate.
Step 10: Top with a heaping tablespoon of the sugar mixture. For an optional twist, you can also sprinkle some toasted coconut over the top.
How to store and reheat
Keep any leftover Palitaw in the fridge and they'll stay good for up to 2 days. If you use dried coconut, they can last a bit longer since freshly grated coconut spoils more quickly.
You can also freeze the Palitaw. Just sprinkle on the sugar mixture right before you serve them. Adding the sugar too early can cause it to melt and look less appealing.
To reheat palitaw, microwave them until they are at least room temperature, or until soft and chewy. You can also reheat them in a steamer or in a toaster oven, wrapped in foil.
Recipe FAQs
Not really. Both are gluten-free and have a neutral taste, but they're made from different types of rice. Regular rice flour comes from the same white rice we eat at meals. On the other hand, glutinous rice flour is made from sticky or sweet rice, which gives it a chewy texture that's perfect for desserts.
Palitaw should be dense and chewy, so don't stress about overworking the dough. Since glutinous rice flour is gluten-free, you won't make it tough. The dough should end up smooth and pliable, kind of like Play-Doh.
More Filipino rice cakes
- Ube Kalamay: Sticky rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and ube or ube extract. It's often topped with latik or caramelized coconut curds.
- Ube Suman sa Latik: Steamed rice cakes flavored with ube and wrapped in banana leaves.
- Kutsinta: Steamed rice cakes with jelly-like, chewy texture and reddish-brown color made with lye water and annatto seeds.
- Espasol: Cylindrical or rectangular rice cakes cooked in a pan with toasted sweet rice flour and coconut milk. Ube Espasol is a variation with purple yam.
- Biko: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar, then topped with latik.
- Suman: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in banana leaves. Suman sa Lihiya is a variation infused with lye water, served with latik sauce.
More about palitaw
I've rounded up more frequently asked questions on Palitaw, including extra tips, troubleshooting, and substitutions.
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📖 Recipe
Palitaw Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Saucepan or pot
- Mini-food processor or chopper (optional)
- 1-ounce cookie scoop (optional)
- Slotted spoon (optional)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted peanuts shelled and skinned; coarsely ground
- ¼ cup sesame seeds white or black; toasted
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (see note)
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour 2 to 3 tablespoons more, as needed (see note)
- 1 cup water
- 2½ cups fresh or frozen grated coconut (see note)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Coarsely grind the peanuts until you achieve the desired texture.
- Toast sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Allow the toasted seeds to cool before using.
- Mix sugar, ground peanuts, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, water, and a pinch of salt. Mix until a dough forms. It should leave an indentation when pressed with your fingers. Adjust the consistency by adding a tablespoon of flour if too sticky or a little water if too dry.
- Scoop the dough using a 1-ounce cookie scoop equivalent to 2 tablespoons and place it on your lightly floured hand or on a baking sheet.
- Press the dough between the palm of your hands until it's about ½-inch thick, or use the back of a spoon to flatten it. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Drop the glutinous rice dough into the boiling water and cook until it floats, which usually takes just a minute or two. Remove from the water and drain the excess water.
- Coat with grated coconut on both sides.
- Top with a heaping tablespoon of the sugar mixture.
Video
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour (Sweet rice flour): This type of flour is made from glutinous or sticky rice, also called "malagkit" in Filipino. Despite its name, it is gluten-free and not sweet at all.
- Grated Coconut: For the coating, freshly grated mature coconut is best. If fresh isn't available, frozen grated coconut is a suitable alternative. You can also use desiccated coconut or dried coconut flakes that aren't too big, but be sure to coat the Palitaw while warm so it rehydrates.
- Coconut sugar: This unrefined sugar, which has a lower glycemic index, can be used as a substitute for granulated or white sugar.
Bim says
Miss having this dessert. Now I know how to make palitaw.