How To Make Galapong or Rice Dough


Galapong or Rice Dough is an important part of Filipino Desserts.

It is the base ingredient for a lot of kakanin or native delicacies.

Back in the Philippines, we either buy Galapong from the Wet Market or Palengke, or we soak our own rice and bring it to the market to grind.

I know two ways of making the rice dough.

First, the authentic way. Easy, but not a fast process.

  • Soak the rice in water for at least 8 hours or better yet, overnight.
  • Strain the excess liquid
  • Grind fine using a food processor, a meat grinder or a blender.
  • The consistency is very wet and almost liquid so put it on a cheesecloth and hang to drain the excess water.
  • If the grinds are still grainy, pass through the grinder one more time to get a fine consistency.
  • After an hour or two, the dough is ready to use.

The second is a fast and easy way. All you need is a bag of rice flour.

These are readily available in Asian markets.

  • For every cup of liquid, you need about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of the rice flour.
  • Mix the first 2 cups of flour with the cup of liquid. Check the consistency before adding more flour.
  • Add a little flour at a time until the dough doesn't stick to your hands when handling.
  • Do not knead like a bread dough, just mix it thoroughly.


BENG'S TIPS

  • The dough dries up easily when exposed to air so keep a moist towel handy to cover it during preparation.
  • When using the rice flour, it is much easier to mix the flour and liquid in a food processor. Put the flour in the food processor and add the liquid a little at a time, until the dough ball is formed. Finish off by hand, adding a little flour at a time to get the right consistency.

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