A popular dessert eaten to celebrate Chinese New Year is Nian Gao (年糕). One of the reasons it is eaten on this occasion is that the words "nian gao (粘 糕)", which mean "sticky cake," sound similar to the words 年高, which mean something like "grow and grow taller every year", an expression to wish good health for the new year.
Ingrediants
- 400 g of glutinous (or sticky) rice flour
- 130 g of brown sugar
- 210 ml of boiled water
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- Water (to taste)
- Optional: Anko (azuki)
- Optional: Decorations (e.g. sesame seeds, Bubble Tea powder, etc.)
Steps
Step 1. Get the ingredients
Many of these ingredients can be purchased in Asian grocery stores.
Step 2. Mix the boiled water with the brown sugar until it dissolves
Step 3. Put the flour in a large bowl and make a hole in the center
Pour the water with the sugar and add the milk. Mix.
Step 4. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get a good dough
Step 5. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface (with gutinous rice flour)
Spray one side with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 6. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper sprayed with the non-stick spray and place everything in a steamer
Cook for about 45-50 minutes.
Step 7. Place a plate on top of the cake and turn it upside down on the plate
Remove the parchment paper.
Step 8. Ready
Advice
- You can heat in the microwave to the desired temperature. Nian Gao isn't really sticky as long as it's lukewarm.
- You can add many "decorations" to your cake. Try an anko (Azuki) filling, which you can buy (canned) in Asian supermarkets. Before putting in the steamer, divide the dough into two parts, roll them out separately with a rolling pin and place the azuki in the middle of the two parts. Cook normally.
- Remember that you will have to flip the cake when it is cooked! If you're making a two-layer cake, put the layer you want on top of the pot "first".
- You can also flavor the pasta. Use Bubble Tea powder to color and flavor half of the dough. Simply add the powder when you are done kneading and incorporate it into the dough. You may need to add a little more water, depending on how much powder you use.
- It can take two people to put the cake into the steamer and turn it upside down when you take it out of there.
- When cutting the cake, keep water (boiled or tap water) close at hand so you can rinse the knife between slices. In this way, cutting the cake is much easier.
Warnings
- Glutinous rice noodles are VERY delicate. Be careful when you turn it upside down and ALWAYS work it on a heavily floured surface. It's called sticky rice for a reason!
- Make sure you only use glutinous rice flour. Don't confuse it with regular rice flour, which has a similar texture.
- Do not lift the lid of the steamer for any reason until you are done. Lifting it would release the steam and it would be very difficult to finish baking the cake. There is no need to test to see if it is ready. 50 minutes is enough.
- Don't burn yourself with the steamer.
