Palitaw Recipe

Palitaw is a term used to call a sweet flat rice cake that is eaten in the Philippines as a Palitaw is one of my favorite Filipino kakanin because it takes so little to make something this good. This Palitaw recipe uses glutinous rice flour and water for the dough, which gets shaped into flat pieces, boiled, and then rolled in grated coconut with sugar and toasted sesame seeds. I have been making Palitaw for years and it remains one of the fastest rice cake recipes I know. You only need a handful of ingredients and about 25 minutes from start to finish. Palitaw is a true classic in Filipino households, and once you see how easy this Palitaw recipe is, you will want to make it often.

 

I grew up buying palitaw from vendors who walked through the neighborhood with a large bilao on their heads. You could hear them calling out from a distance, and by the time they got close, the sweet smell of fresh coconut and sesame was already in the air. I always wanted two pieces but my nanay would only let me have one. Looking back, she was probably right. Those are the kind of food memories that stick with you, and honestly, I think that is why I still make palitaw even now. There is something about it. Making it at home in the US is not the same as eating it warm off a bilao on a hot afternoon, but it comes close enough.

The key to great palitaw is the dough. It should feel smooth and pliable, not too wet and not too dry. Once you get that right, everything else falls into place.

What is Palitaw?

Palitaw is a traditional Filipino sweet rice cake, one of the many kakanin we grew up eating. The name comes from the Tagalog word “litaw,” which means “to float” or “to surface,” because the flat dough pieces rise to the top of boiling water once they are cooked through. If you grew up in the Philippines, you probably already know that. In other regions, this rice cake goes by different names. It is called pepalto in Pampanga, inday-inday in the Visayas, and palutang in Cavite.

This rice cake is believed to have originated in Pangasinan, a province in northern Luzon with strong rice-growing traditions. The original method involved soaking sticky rice overnight and grinding it using a stone grinder called a gilingan to produce galapong, which is the same rice paste used for bilo-bilo. Today, most cooks use packaged glutinous rice flour mixed with water, which is much faster and still produces the same chewy texture.

Palitaw is enjoyed all year as a merienda, but it also shows up during celebrations. Some families, especially in the older generation, serve sticky foods like palitaw on New Year’s Eve. The reasoning is that the chewy texture symbolizes togetherness, and the way the rice cake rises in boiling water represents good fortune. I am not sure every family follows that tradition anymore, but I still like the idea behind it.

Why This Palitaw Recipe Works

This Palitaw recipe produces a soft and chewy rice cake every time because of a few details in the process.

• Glutinous rice flour is the right base for the chew. The starch in glutinous rice flour is almost entirely amylopectin, which creates that stretchy, mochi-like texture. Regular rice flour does not have the same composition and will give you a crumbly result instead.
• Boiling cooks the dough evenly without any oil. Dropping the pieces directly into boiling water cooks them from all sides, producing a clean and tender rice cake with no greasy residue.
• Flattening the dough matters. Thick pieces take too long and may not cook evenly inside. A thin disc cooks through by the time it floats.
• Toasting sesame seeds before mixing with sugar releases their oils. Raw sesame seeds do not have much flavor on their own. Toasting them in a dry pan brings out a warm, nutty aroma that changes the whole topping.

Ingredients

• Glutinous rice flour – The base of the dough that creates the chewy texture palitaw is known for
• Water – Mixed with the flour to form a smooth, workable dough
• Grated coconut – The first coating that goes on each piece right after boiling
• Granulated sugar – Combined with sesame seeds for the sweet, crunchy topping
• Roasted sesame seeds – Toasted until golden for a warm nutty crunch that pairs with the coconut

Making Palitaw at home is really straightforward. Not much equipment, not much cleanup. Take it one step at a time and you will have a whole plate of these chewy rice cakes ready before you know it.

1. Combine the glutinous rice flour and water in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms that pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

If the dough feels too dry and cracks when you press it, add water one teaspoon at a time. If it feels sticky and clings to your fingers, work in a little more flour.

1. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball using your hands.
2. Flatten the ball gently between your palms into a thin oval disc, about a quarter inch thick.
3. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and carefully drop in the flattened pieces, working in batches.
4. Once a piece floats to the surface, remove it with a slotted spoon and let the excess water drip off.

You will notice each piece sinks to the bottom first and then rises after a couple of minutes. That floating is your signal. Do not leave them in too long after they rise. They can get mushy.

1. Roll each warm piece in grated coconut, pressing gently so it sticks.
2. Transfer to the sugar and sesame seed mixture and coat all sides evenly.

Arrange the coated rice cakes on a serving plate. They taste best while still warm and the coconut sticks better when the surface is still slightly damp.

What to Serve with Palitaw

• Kapeng barako – Strong Filipino coffee that balances the sweetness of the coconut and sugar
• Ginataang Halo-halo – A warm coconut milk dessert with sweet potatoes, bilo-bilo, and sago for a filling merienda spread
• Hot chocolate or tablea – A warm, rich cup that pairs so well with chewy kakanin on a rainy afternoon
• Ripe mango slices – The tartness of fresh mango gives a refreshing contrast to the sweet sesame coating

Storage

This Palitaw stores okay, though in my experience it rarely lasts long enough to worry about.

• Refrigerator: Leftover pieces go in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They will get firm in the fridge. Just let them sit out for about 10 minutes before eating.
• Freezer: If you want to prep ahead, freeze the boiled rice cakes without coating. Lay them on a parchment-lined tray first so they do not stick, then move to a freezer bag once firm. Good for about 1 month. Coat with fresh coconut and the sugar mixture after thawing.

• Reheating: A quick 10-second dip in hot water does the trick for refrigerated pieces. Drain, re-coat, and they are ready. Not quite the same as fresh, but close.

More Kakanin Recipes

• Kutsinta – A soft, sticky brown rice cake with a subtle sweetness, topped with grated coconut
• Biko – Sweet glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar, topped with golden latik
• Sapin Sapin – A colorful layered rice cake made with coconut milk, often seen during fiestas
• Bibingka – A baked rice cake with salted egg and cheese, traditionally enjoyed during the Christmas season
• Espasol – Cylindrical rice cakes from Laguna rolled in toasted glutinous rice flour
• Bibingkang Malagkit – A sticky rice cake baked with a caramelized coconut cream topping
• Maja Blanca – A coconut milk pudding with corn that sets into a smooth, sliceable dessert

• Glutinous rice flour – There is no real substitute for this. Regular rice flour will not produce the same chewy texture. Look for packages labeled “sweet rice flour” or “Mochiko” at Asian grocery stores.
• Fresh grated coconut – Unsweetened desiccated coconut works well. Add a few tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate before using.
• Granulated sugar – Brown sugar or coconut sugar can replace white sugar for a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness in the topping.
• Sesame seeds – Crushed roasted peanuts are a good alternative. Some families use a mix of both for extra texture.
• Water in the dough – Coconut milk can replace some or all of the water for a richer flavor and slightly creamier rice cake. This is how some cooks in the Visayas make theirs.

Palitaw is the kind of kakanin that shows you how good simple food can be. Glutinous rice flour, water, coconut, sugar, and sesame seeds. That is all you need, and yet it is enough to bring you right back to a warm afternoon somewhere in the Philippines. Give this Palitaw recipe a try.