Being half-Filipina, I have tried a couple of snacks and sweets served in the Philippines. Palitaw (pronounced pa-leet-ow) are perhaps my favourite – barely sweet, sticky rice balls coated in coconut (or sugar and sesame seeds). The palitaw I’ve tried have been in flattened disks rather than balls, but I love them this way. They’re easier, too!
These make a rather satisfying dessert, something to bite a sweet craving or that niggling peckish feeling after dinner. The carbohydrates from rice – and fat from coconut – make these wonderfully filling. Furthermore, there is barely any sweetener needed (I prefer none!).
I hope you love the squidgy texture of these palitaw balls as much as I do! I’m not a big snack fan, but you can whip these up in whatever quantity to suit your crowd. You don’t need to measure – just make a stiff rice flour paste, pinch off balls, boil them, and coat. Easy!
This recipe can be gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free.
Serves 2-4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour (find in an Asian food store)
– 1 Tablespoon dextrose, or to taste
– water (approximately 1/4 cup)
– thread coconut, to roll
Method:
1. Place a pot of water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, mix together the rice flour, dextrose, and enough water to form a stiff paste. Roll this mixture into small balls and drop in the water once boiling (I do this continuously rather than in one go).
2. Sprinkle the coconut on a plate. When the each palitaw floats, remove it with a slotted spoon to the coconut and toss gently. Continue until all palitaw are cooked and coated. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature, and enjoy! 🙂
Note: The balls may stick to the bottom of the pot when first dropped in. Simply use the slotted spoon to shift them gently.
