Kutsinta or kutchinta is a round, sticky brown rice cake, a popular Filipino snack made with a few ingredients and topped with grated coconut. Kutsinta are sweets (kakanin in Tagalog) usually sold by street vendors.
There are a few versions of Kutsinta recipe but the common ingredient is lye water to give it a chewy texture.
I stored the kutsinta in a well sealed container for 3 days in the fridge and it came out not hard and still chewy.
Just make sure the lye water measurement is 2 teaspoons.
You may grate coconut in advance and place it in the freezer. When ready to use, leave it for a few minutes in room temperature to thaw.
Tips to make kutsinta
1. After mixing all the ingredients run it through a sieve for a smooth consistency.
2. Lightly brush each mold with vegetable oil before pouring mixture.
3. Pour mixture in mold to about ¾'s full.
4. Cover steamer lid with cheese cloth or kitchen towel to absorb dripping droplets of water. You don't want water dripping in the mold.
5. When done, set it aside to fully cool.
6. Use a pointed spatula to loosen the edges. It should be completely cool, easy to remove from mold plus you get a rounder kutsinta.
7. Serve with grated coconut. Prepare grated coconut in advance, if you like.
How to make kutsinta
Watch my video “How to make Kutsinta”. You’ll be amaze it is easy to make and in no time you are ready to devour this delicious sweets (kakanin).
Recipe
Kutsinta Recipe (Kutchinta)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup glutinous rice flour
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons lye water
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon powdered achiote dissolved in 2 teaspoon of water, take the water from the 1 ½ cup water this recipe calls for or use 2 teaspoons of annatto seeds dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
- vegetable oil to coat mold
- grated coconut for topping
Instructions
- In a bowl, put all the dry ingredients. The all-purpose flour, glutinous rice flour and brown sugar. Mix well.
- Add ½ cup of water at a time to the mixture. Mix every time you add water until mixture is thoroughly dissolved and smooth.
- Add lye water and the achiote mixture. (Note: Take the water to dissolve the achiote from the 1 ½ cup this recipe calls for.)
- Get another bowl and pour mixture through a strainer to get rid of lumps for a smoother consistency.
- Add 8 cups of water in the steamer. Bring to a boil.
- Brush each mold lightly with vegetable oil and pour mixture to about ¾ full on each mold.
- Steam for 45 minutes or poke one or two of the kutsinta with a toothpick. If toothpick comes out clean then it is cook already. Remove from heat and let it cool down before removing from the mold.
- Use a pointed spatula to loosen it from the mold and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle the top of each kutsinta with grated fresh coconut.
- The mold I used was almost 3 inches wide x 1 inch height and came up with 14 kutsinta. If your mold is smaller you’ll end up with more servings.
Myra C says
Recipe was easy to follow. The hints really helped. They turned out perfect!
Marie J. says
Easy and tasty! I thought it was hard to make kutsinta. Thank you for the recipe.
Fortune says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Vivian Dulkiewicz says
It was a perfect kutchinta I made with your recipe a few weeks ago and I am making another one now that is why I came back to your recipe. I am using a dessicated coconut, dried one that is used when you make a macaroon. Just have it in a bowl and put water just to make it moist and sugar for the taste. Its a perfect substitute for the fresh grated coconut toping. Best regards.
Vivian Dulkiewicz
Fortune says
I'm glad it came out perfect! Enjoy your next batch. In fact, I'm craving it myself. Thank you for leaving a wonderful comment.