SCIENCE 10

Activity 4: HOW DO WE COOK BY CONVECTION?

Palitaw is a kind of sweet, chewy, and flattened rice cake. This Filipino rice cake is
prepared by soaking glutinous rice grains in water overnight and then processed as a dough. The
dough is flattened into small pieces and cooked in boiling water until they float; this is the
reason it was called palitaw. Based on your knowledge about convection current, make a sketch
that can explain why palitaw floats in boiling water. In a separate sheet, sketch the convection
current occurring in making the said rice cake.

Ingredients
 2 cups (300 g) of glutinous rice flour
 1 cup (240 mL) of water, room-temperature
 1 cup (75 g) of grated coconut
 ½ cup (115 g) of granulated white sugar
 4 tablespoons (36 g) of sesame seeds, toasted
Procedure:
1. Mix the rice flour and water in a separate bowl to make a dough. Place 2 cups (300 g) of
glutinous rice flour into a bowl. Add 1 cup (240 mL) of room-temperature water, then stir it in
with a whisk. Once the dough comes together, knead it a few times with your hands to form a
clump
2. Form the dough into balls, then flatten them into disks. Roll the dough into 1 in (2.5 cm)
balls, then flatten them until they are 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Fill a pot with 2 quarts
(1.9 L) of water. Ensure that it is at least 5 inches (13 cm) deep, then bring it to a boil over
medium to medium-high heat.
 If the water is too shallow, the palitaw won't cook properly. Add more water, if
needed, or switch to a deeper pot
4. Cook the palitaw 3 to 4 at a time for 1 to 3 minutes. Drop the palitaw 3 or 4 into the pot,
or however many you can fit without them touching. Allow them to cook until they float to the
top of the water. This will take about 1 to 3 minutes.
 How many palitaw you fit will depend on the size of the pot. The larger the pot is,
the more you'll fit. The smaller the pot is, the fewer you'll fit.
 Do not dump all of the patties into the water or they will stick together
.
5. Remove the palitaw with a slotted spoon, then cook more. Place the palitaw on a baking
sheet lined with parchment paper to dry. Once the pot is empty, slip more patties into the water
and cook them as well. Keep going until you've cooked all of the patties.
 Spread the palitaw out on the baking sheet; don't lump them together.
 Keep an eye on the water. If it gets too shallow, add more water. Let it return to a
boil before adding the palitaw.
6. Dip the patties in grated coconut, then transfer them to a platter. Pour 1 cup (75 g) of
grated coconut into a shallow dish. Place a palitaw into the coconut, then flip it over and press
the other side into it as well. Do this for all of the patties, transferring them to a platter as you
finish each one
7. Sprinkle the patties with the sesame-sugar/sugar and coconut, then serve them. You
can serve them while they are still warm, or allow them to cool down to room temperature.
Questions:
1. Draw/sketch your representation in making palitaw.
2. Based from your picture, What represents the plates?
3. What represents the mantle?
4. Where is the heat source?
5. Why are the palitaw dough floating?
6. Explain convection current in making palitaw.