PALITAW

By: Monique Ganzon

Palitaw is another product of rice that originated in Pangasinan a province in the northern part of
Luzon, Philippines.

Palitaw is a well-known Philippine delicacy eaten as a snack or dessert, in a white oval or

circular, flat sugary form. Derived from the Filipino word “litaw”, which means “to float or to
surface,” it’s a scientific phenomenon on its own.

Palitaw is originally made washed, soaked, ground sticky rice or “kaning malagkit” – however,
some use glutinous rice flour or any packaged rice flour to minimize the time in grinding and
soaking the sticky rice and because it is more efficient. It is made by simply mixing the rice flour
and water until a dough is formed. The dough is divided into small pieces then manually molded
into a ball-shape figure and flattened. The flattened dough is cooked in boiling water until they
float – an indication that they are done. Once cooked, it will be dipped in grated young coconut,
toasted sesame seeds and sugar.

Some palitaw can be stuffed with ingredients such as fruits or nuts, or have the sugar and sesame
seeds integrated into the dough cooking. These methods can cause difficulty for home cooks,
however, because adding ingredients to the dough can cause it to break apart while cooking.
Palitaw can be frozen once completed for long-term storage.

History
Palitaw is a simplification of the Filipino term “litaw” means to float. They can be considered to
be almost same as the Japanese mochi cakes which are sweetened steamed or baked rice flour
cakes, Korea also creates an almost similar version that is prepared from rice flour, poached and
stuffed with sweet bean paste. Since Asians use a large amount of rice in their diet, almost every
culture has different versions of steamed or poached rice balls.

Palitaw is a soft steamed rice dough cakes that can be sweet or spicy in taste. This very popular
Filipino recipe is cooked for special occasions.

Palitaw is a Philippine dessert and snack made with simple rice flour dough that is boiled and
then coated in coconut and sesame seeds. The small, flat rice cakes are traditionally eaten during
holiday festivities but can be enjoyed at any time. The texture of the finished cakes can range
from very moist and delicate to chewy and rubbery, depending on the preferences of the cook.
Although there are a few variations, the palitaw is usually prepared according the same basic
recipe without any changes. It is similar to other types of sweet, cooked rice cakes that are
produced in countries such as Japan and South Korea.

The rice used for palitaw is traditionally glutinous rice, also called sticky rice or malagkit in the
Philippines. An authentic preparation involves cracking the dried sticky rice and then soaking it
overnight in water. After soaking, it is ground down into dough with water being added as
necessary. If this method is being employed, the rice nearly always requires soaking in water
before being used, sometimes to soften the very thick shell around the rice and other times to
remove some of the starch before cooking.

In many countries, instead of laboriously grinding down sticky rice into a powder or dough, bags
of readymade glutinous rice flour are available for purchase. The premade flour is actually the
preferred method for making palitaw at home. It is not necessary to use sticky rice for the recipe,
meaning regular rice flour can be used instead with no real ill effects. The amount of water in the
dough can help to determine what the final texture will be. Using as little water as possible and
forming hard dough will create palitaw that is chewy, rubbery and dense. Adding extra water to
create looser dough will result in cakes that have a softer text.
Health benefits

Sticky rice is washed, soaked, and then ground to a fine powder and then mixed with coconut
milk and sugar to make the batter for this fluffy, dense kakanin. Scoops of the batter are then
dropped into boiling water and left to cook until they float back to the surface as soft, flat disks.
Rolled in sesame seeds, grated coconut, and sugar, they are a favorite among the young (and the
young-at-heart).

Sticky rice also serves as a good source of selenium, a beneficial mineral. It offers antioxidant
protection for your tissues, shielding your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Selenium
benefits your thyroid gland by regulating the activity of thyroid hormones and keeps your blood
vessel walls functioning properly. Each cup of cooked sticky rice contains 9.7 micrograms of
selenium, or 18 percent of the 55 micrograms you need daily, according to guidelines set by the
Institute of Medicine.

Sticky rice also offers health benefits due to its manganese content. You need manganese for a
healthy metabolism — it helps you process carbohydrates, proteins and cholesterol. It also helps
you make proteoglycans, a family of proteins needed for healthy cartilage and bone tissue. Each
serving of sticky rice boosts your manganese intake by 0.5 milligrams, providing 22 percent of
the recommended daily intake for men and 28 percent for women, according to the Institute of
Medicine.

Sticky rice also contains smaller amounts of other essential nutrients. Each cup of sticky rice
contains 7 percent of your daily vitamin B-5 intake requirements, and also provides you with 9
percent of your daily recommended copper intake, set by the Institute of Medicine. Vitamin B-5
boosts your metabolism, helps your cells produce energy and also aids in hormone synthesis to
maintain your hormone balance. The copper in sticky rice keeps your connective tissue strong,
supports your immune system and promotes healthy brain function.

Sticky rice is another name for glutinous rice, a type of grain found in many Thai, Chinese and
Japanese dishes. As the website Thai Food and Travel explains, sticky rice is also known as
kaoniow and is a starchy grain that is cultivated across Asia. Sticky rice clumps, and is thus easy
to eat by hand and aids in sopping up sauce. Sticky rice differs from rice that you may be used to,
so be sure to check the nutrition facts if you plan on consuming it often.Sticky rice is another
name for glutinous rice, a type of grain found in many Thai, Chinese and Japanese dishes. As the
website Thai Food and Travel explains, sticky rice is also known as kaoniow and is a starchy
grain that is cultivated across Asia. Sticky rice clumps, and is thus easy to eat by hand and aids in
sopping up sauce. Sticky rice differs from rice that you may be used to, so be sure to check the
nutrition facts if you plan on consuming it often.

Submitted by:

Acosta, Christopher

Andres, Louisse

Bose, Angelo

Cabanlong, Camila

Tabac, Joy