What can I say? I love kakanin and all its forms. But my favorite? Palitaw. Definitely.
I am biased for chewy goeey kakanin made with glutinous rice flour. Palitaw, sapin-sapin, and kutsinta are some of my favorites. Along with cassava cake and pichi-pichi which are made from cassava flour instead of rice flour.
Yes, I also love suman and biko which has whole rice grains and puto and bibingka which are more cakey. But my heart and my palate are really for palitaw and the many variations of cooked glutinous rice flour.
I love the chewiness and the subtle sweetness of the palitaw, the contrast in texture provided by the coconut, and the added sweetness of the white sugar. And of course, the added crunch and taste from the toasted sesame seeds. It looks like such a simple rice cake. But there are so many layers of textures and flavors. Plus, a subtle smell of coconut and sesame seeds. Love, love, LOVE.
Palitaw Memory
I vaguely remember Tia Gloria, my maternal grandmother’s cousin, showing me how Palitaw is cooked. It was a random afternoon in Lola Onding’s house. Lola Onding is my maternal grandmother and I spent a lot of summer and other free days there. On on of those days, Tia Gloria was there and she was making palitaw. I found it interesting when she told me I would know palitaw is cooked when it would rise to the top. “Kaya palitaw.”
While I was not really close to Tia Gloria and I do not remember the day, the occasion, or why she was cooking palitaw. But that memory is one that always makes me smile.
Featured in the photos above are palitaw, sapin-sapin, kutsinta, and pichi-pichi by Stella’s Cuisine. Stella’s is my go-to local shop for kakanins for Holy Week and on any day I crave for palitaw and other kakanin.
How about you what is your favorite kakanin and where do you usually buy it?
This is my second entry (August 1) for the Davao Journal Circle’s August 2026 Art Prompts: Filipino Fiesta.
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