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one of the things I love best about Chinese New Year, however, has
always been the chance to eat nian gao. Made from glutinous
rice flour, this cake is a sticky-soft, chewy, sweet delight; it
clings to your teeth, your tongue, the roof of your mouth when you
first bite in, then quickly releases itself. Unlike Western sweets
that you might think of as chewy – say, caramel or taffy – nian
gao yields quickly to the bite. It’s one of my favorite
textures in the world. And the only time it appears on Chinese
tables is during the period surrounding the lunar new year.
In addition to being a
hearty winter dessert that’s perfect for this time of year, nian
gao has a double meaning that’s earned it its perennial
place at the new year table. Nian gao literally means “sticky
cake,” but the Chinese word for sticky is a homophone for the
word meaning “year,” while the word for cake sounds like the
word for “high.” So nian gao has the symbolic meaning
of raising oneself higher in the coming year. As an added bonus,
it’s also a very tasty dessert. You can find readymade
vacuum-sealed nian gao at most Asian markets this time of
year, which just need to be sliced up and pan-fried before serving
(this is important: the chilled nian gao will be hard and
unappetizing). But the cake is easy to make at home too, and will
be yummier to boot. Cook it up the morning or afternoon of your
gathering and you won’t even have to bother with the pan-frying; the fresh
homemade cake will be perfectly soft and chewy. |
chinese
new year cake (Nian gao)
Steamed
nian gao are more traditional, but a few years ago, my mom
sent me this recipe for a baked version, and I’ve been a
convert ever since. Baking frees up valuable stove space;
moreover, the finished cake ends up with a gorgeous and
delectable crust.
1
lb. glutinous [sweet] rice flour (preferably Mochiko brand)
1 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter
3 cups milk
serves
12 or more (this stuff is heavy)
1
Mix the glutinous rice flour and baking powder in a bowl and
set aside. Grease a 9”x13” baking dish. Preheat the oven
to 350F. Melt the butter and let cool for 10 minutes.
2
In a big bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar; then add
the cooled melted butter and stir some more. Beat in the red
bean paste.
3
Now pour
in the milk. The mixture will be quite liquidy, and you
might find it easier to switch to a whisk. Whisk until
combined; add the dry mixture gradually, beating it into the
liquid until you have a fairly even batter.
4
Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and bake for 1
hour to an hour and a half*. The cake should feel set when pressed; a toothpick
inserted into the cake should come out mostly clean. Let the
cake cool for at least 30 minutes, then cut up and serve.
*Start checking at
this point; actual cooking time can take much longer.
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