KUTCHINTA

That little round orange dessert which is best eaten with grated coconut. It is usually being sold alongside the famous Calasiao Puto. That is what I grew up with. But it didn't really had an appeal to me until I came here in Australia. As if everybody here likes it! Many are selling in the Asian "Filipino" stores in a pre packed style by itself not with Puto. The colour varies from dark brown to light brown or pale orange or too orangey. It depends on the sugar used and or the food colour used or maybe it depends on which province in the Philippines the maker came from. Kutchinta is a steamed rice cake with lye water.  However, many use all purpose flour rather than the authentic ground rice. I think because it's easier to make. I do both plain flour and ground rice (not rice flour). For special occasions I use the rice, it's tedious but it's so worth it! For a quick and easy one, I use plain or all purpose white flour.It tastes good anyway.

KUTCHINTA RECIPE

2 cups Plain flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp annatto powder
4 cups water
1 tsp lye water
   grated coconut

1. Mix all dry ingredients.
2. Add water and lye water. Whisk.
3. Strain to remove undissolved solid ones.
4. Pour into small moulds.
5. With boiling water in the steamer, steam for 10 mins. (lower the heat to medium before putting the moulds in the steamer and making sure to wipe the steamer lid everytime lifting and putting it back)
6. Let it cool before taking it out from the moulds.
7. Sprinkle with grated coconut and serve.

PALITAW

I have extra grated coconut used for the kutchinta I made yesterday, so I thought of making Palitaw. I haven't made this yet for the reason that I am not fond of it. When I was a kid I almost choked everytime I eat it so maybe that's the reason why. It a bit scares me so I don't want my kids to feel that too. But I thought I might give it a go. My Nanay (my father's mother) used to make Unda-Unday and I guessed the procedure is the same it's the finishing touches that they differ. Outcome is well and good.

My Palitaw Recipe:

(yields 24 pcs)

3 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour

1 3/4 cups water

         grated coconut

60 g sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1. Combine the flour and water and mixing it well to form a dough that is not dry and not that wet, just a soft dough.

2. Form individual balls like the size of a ping pong ball or 40g/ball (Pic 1).

3. Then in between your two palms, flatten each  small dough and drop slowly into a pot of boiling water. Maybe 4 at a time depending on the size of your pot. Making sure they won't be sticking together while cooking (Pic 2).

4. They're cooked when they float. Take them out and put in a wire rack to drain the excess water (Pic 3 -4).

5. Let them cool a bit then roll into the grated coconut.
6. Just before serving, roll into the combined toasted sesame seeds and sugar.

How to roast sesame seeds:

Put the sesame seeds in a pan ( I used a non stick one) then heat it up over medium to low fire tossing frequently until brown.

My husband and I ate it with hot black coffee. Black tea would be good with it too. It's not that sweet but maybe adding 2-3 tbsp sugar to glutinous rice before combining with water will make it a bit sweeter.