Try this palitaw recipe for delicious, authentic, easy-to-make palitaw that tastes just like the ones from home. Perfectly chewy, sweet and coconut-y, you’ll keep coming back for more.
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups glutinous rice flour and ¾ cup water and knead until it comes together in a soft, smooth, pliable dough (see notes).
Scoop and roll the dough into small balls using your hands then flatten into an oval about ¼ inch thick.
Drop each palitaw into a pot of boiling water and cook until the palitaw floats to the surface (see notes). Repeat until you’ve cooked all of the rice cakes.
Scoop the cooked palitaw using a slotted spoon and drain well by placing on a sheet of parchment paper. Space evenly so they don’t stick together.
While still warm, coat the palitaw in shredded coconut.
And when ready to serve, sprinkle with your sugar-sesame seed mixture. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Yield depends on how big you make your palitaw. I roll them in 1-inch balls, flattened to 2-inch ovals and get 30-34 pieces of palitaw from this recipe.
If your palitaw dough is too sticky, add glutinous rice flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it becomes manageable. But don't add more than 4 tablespoons.
When making palitaw dough, I start stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon then proceed to knead with my hands when the dough becomes too difficult to stir.
When boiling palitaw, do so a few pieces at a time so they're not overcrowded in the pot. Otherwise they will stick together.
See the post for the complete step-by-step photos, lots of cooking tips, and FAQs.