What's Nian Gao (年糕)?
Nian gao (年糕), a Chinese New Year's cake, is a food made from glutinous rice flour. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao during this time of the year because nian gao sounds like "higher year" or "grow every year" (年高) in Chinese, symbolizing a wish for a prosperous year. The traditional nian gao is round in shape with an auspicious decoration such as the character for prosperity (福) on top.
This sticky sweet snack was believed to be an offering to the Kitchen God, with the intention of sticking his mouth with the cake so that he would not badmouth the human family in front of the Jade Emperor.
There are several types of nian gao: Guangdong, Fujian/Hokkien, Jiangnan/Shanghainese, and Northern. Similar cakes can also be found in different countries such as Burma, Cambodia, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Indonesia.
In Guangdong, sweet nian gao is dipped in egg and pan-fried. It's usually sweetened with brown sugar, resulting in a distinct dark yellow color. The batter is poured into a cake pan and steamed until it solidifies. Once heated, the nian gao becomes stretchy and extremely sticky.
In the southern region of Fujian, nian gao is mainly used for New Year rituals and gifts. It is made of glutinous rice and taro, sliced and cooked before eating. It can also be wrapped in egg or cornstarch and fried.
Shanghai-style savory fried nian gao is made by mixing rice with glutinous rice powder. The softer version has a higher proportion of glutinous rice. Cooking methods include steaming, frying, slicing and frying, or using it in soup. The Shanghai style keeps the nian gao white, which is its distinct feature. When served as a dish, the most common method is stir-frying. There are three general types: savory with ingredients like scallions, beef, pork, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage; sweet using standard white sugar; and almost tasteless but enjoyed for its chewy texture.
Northern nian gao can be steamed or fried and is mainly sweet in taste. Beijing versions include jujube with either glutinous rice or yellow rice. Shanxi makes nian gao using yellow rice and fillings such as red bean paste or jujube paste. Hebei uses jujube, small red beans, and green beans to make steamed nian gao. Shandong nian gao is made of red dates and yellow rice, while the Northeast type is made of beans on sticky sorghum.
Steamed Nian Gao Recipe
Typically, in Taiwan, Guangdong-style Nian Gao is commonly eaten.
Ingredients:
300g glutinous rice powder
1200g dark brown sugar
220g water
Egg (for coating)
Oil (for pan-frying)
Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine glutinous rice powder, dark brown sugar, and warm water.
2. Mix well until you achieve a smooth, lump-free batter.
3. Line a cake tin with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
5. Place the cake tin in a steamer.
6. Steam the mixture for 1 to 1.5 hours until it solidifies.
7. Allow the steamed cake to cool to room temperature. For best results, refrigerate overnight to let it harden.
8. Once the cake has hardened, remove it from the cake tin and slice it into your desired pieces.
9. Beat an egg in a bowl.
10. Dip each slice of the rice cake into the beaten egg
11. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
12. Place the egg-coated rice cake slices into the pan, cooking each side until golden brown and crispy.
13. Serve your pan-fried glutinous rice cakes warm.
I also have a video tutorial on my YouTube channel that you can check out for reference.
Baked Nian Gao Recipe
I also prepared another version of Nian Gao, which is not traditional but similar to Hawaiian Mochi Cake. Instead of steaming, it is baked, but it is still very easy to prepare.
Freshly baked, this cake boasts a delightful gooey texture. For the best experience, I recommend consuming it within the first three days. Refrigeration, while possible, may lead to a firmer texture as the cake continues to set. Enjoy the gooey goodness while it's at its prime!
Ingredients:
140g glutinous rice flour
80g brown sugar
200g milk
50g oil
2 eggs
4g baking powder
40g chopped walnuts (for topping)
Preparation:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine glutinous rice powder, oil, eggs, dark brown sugar, and warm milk.
2. Thoroughly mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Line a rectangular or square baking tin with parchment paper.
4. Pour the prepared mixture into the lined baking tin
5. Sprinkle a generous amount of chopped walnuts evenly over the top of the mixture in the tin. The walnuts will add a delightful crunch and flavor to the cake.
6. Place the baking tin in the preheated oven [180°C (356°F)] and bake the sticky rice cake for approximately 45 minutes or until it is fully set. 7. Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
8. Freshly baked cake is nicely gooey. I don't recommend to keep it more than 3 days, as the cake will harden more once refrigerated.
I also have a video tutorial on my YouTube channel that you can check out for reference.
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