Palitaw is one of the kakanin delights that mom used to sell in her Sally’s Bake Shop. Palitaw is a small, flat, sweet rice cake made from malagkit (sticky rice) washed, soaked, and then ground. Scoops of the batter are dropped into boiling water where they float to the surface as flat discs – an indication that they’re done. When served, the flat discs are dipped in grated coconut, and presented with a separate dip made of sugar and toasted sesame seeds. Here is a simple recipe you can make.

Ingredients

2 cups malagkit rice flour
3/4 cup water
1/8 cup malagkit rice flour
6 cups water
2 cups grated coconut
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and slightly pounded

directions

1. Mix 2 cups of malagkit rice flour and 3/4 cups water in a bowl. Mix well until mixture turns into a dough.

2. Dust your hands and fingers with malagkit rice flour to prevent dough from sticking to your hands and plams.

3. Take 2 teaspoonfuls of the dough and roll into a ball. Flatten mixture against the palm.

4. In a sauce pan, boil 6 cups of water. Drop each palitaw one at a time into the boiling water, making sure they do not stick to each other.

When the palitaw floats to the surface, remove them using a skimmer and transfer to a plate.

5. Roll each palitaw in the grated coconut.

6. Combine sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

7. Top each palitaw with the mixture.