Palitaw

Palitaw (Photo credit: Ced)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


This merienda is named so because the flat discs of glutinous rice are dropped into boiling water and cooked until they float (litaw in Filipino) to the surface. The sesame seeds must be toasted until aromatic and  golden brown before pounding for more flavor.

PALITAW

You will need:

2 cups glutinous rice flour plus 1/8 cup glutinous rice flour

3/4 cup water

2 cups grated coconut

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and slightly pounded

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Here's how:


Combine 2 cups glutinous rice flour and 3/4 cup water in a bowl. Keep mixing until mixture turns into a dough. Dust hands and fingers with 1/8 cup glutinous rice flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands while shaping it. Take a teaspoonfuls of the dough and roll into a ball. Flatten mixture against the palm. In a saucepot, boil 6 cups water. Drop palitaw pieces one at a time into the boiling water, taking extra care that they do not stick to each other in the pot. When a palitaw floats to the surface, remove using a skimmer and transfer to a plate or tray. Cool slightly. Dredge both sides of each palitaw in 2 cups grated coconut then arrange on a baking sheet. Toast 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, then pound slightly in a mortar and pestle. Combine toasted seeds with 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a bowl and sprinkle over palitaw.

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