Biteko (Palauan Tapioca Cake)

Name: Biteko (Palauan Tapioca Cake)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Palau
Ingredients: 3 cups grated fresh tapioca (cassava); 1 cup grated coconut; 1 cup coconut milk; 3/4 cup brown sugar; 2 ripe bananas, mashed; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Banana leaves, for lining the pan

8 servings20 min prep60 min cookMedium Palau

♡ Sign in to save Print / Save as PDFPro

The Story Behind It

The Tale of Biteko (Palauan Tapioca Cake)

Biteko, a steamed tapioca cake with coconut, belongs to the broader Pacific Islander tradition of starch-and-coconut desserts, likely shaped by cassava's introduction to the Pacific through Spanish and later trade contact. It remains a familiar item in everyday Palauan home baking.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

3 cups grated fresh tapioca (cassava)
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Banana leaves, for lining the pan

Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and line a baking pan with banana leaves, lightly oiled.
2Squeeze excess liquid from the grated tapioca using a clean cloth, reserving the starchy liquid that settles.
3Combine the grated tapioca, grated coconut, mashed banana, brown sugar, salt, and coconut milk in a large bowl.
4Stir in the reserved tapioca starch from the settled liquid for extra binding.
5Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly.
6Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7Let cool completely before slicing into squares.
8Serve as a snack or dessert, plain or with extra coconut milk drizzled over.

Want Cook Mode, your own recipe photos, and unlimited calculators?

Get Home Cooking Pro

Comments

Loading comments…