Simple Nian Gao Recipe (Tikoy/Fa Gao/Kue Bakul)

 

During Chinese New Year, the well-known picture of a New Year's Sweet Rice Cake (nian gao) is a welcome sight.

 

The word "nian gao" denotes development, advancement, and expansion. Nián () means "year," and the homonym for "go" (), which means "tall," "high," or "expensive," is "go" ().

 

In the hope of a better year ahead, every family buys or makes this treat for their Chinese New Year celebration. It's also a well-liked holiday present to give to friends and family.

Chinese New Year Sweet Rice Cake recipe

In case that wasn't clear, this Chinese New Year Sweet Rice Cake recipe is a little more forward-thinking. Permit me to explain before you make harsh judgments about me.

 

The standard sweet rice cake recipe is intimately acquainted to me. There are between three and four parts: normal and glutinous rice flours, sugar, and water You can make the traditional version by following the instructions for cooking and essentially using the central components that were mentioned earlier. I am aware that many people seek that taste in their home or from their upbringing.

 

On the other hand, I think that the standard recipe for nian gao needs some tweaking because it is a little bit too basic.

 

Thusly, I adjusted western baking procedures for this recipe. I'll be quick to concede that I'm very satisfied with it, if not glad for it. The addition of ginger and orange zing truly enhances the subtle form of the nian gao.

So fundamentally, this recipe depends on the customary variant, yet has a touch of oomph! Numerous perusers have requested a Sweet Nian Gao recipe over the course of the last year, and I trust you'll like my variant of this Chinese New Year staple. It's very pretty to me!

A Few Facts About NIAN GAO You Might Want to Know:

1) If you like Chinese dried dates, you can chop up a few of them, remove the pits, and add them to the batter. The dates would be an incredible expansion.

2) Use a foil pan if you want to give these as gifts!

 

3) The rice cake can be consumed right away. Keep in mind that when hot, it is extremely sticky and gooey. I figure the most effective way to partake in this Sweet Rice Cake is sit tight for it to cool, cut it, and afterward sear the two sides with a touch of vegetable oil over medium intensity.

 

4) Sweet Rice Cakes can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator. They will harden, but when sliced, they reheat well in a pan (as previously mentioned).

 

5) This recipe yields two round rice cakes of 8 inches each.

How to Use the NIAN GAO Recipe:

Vegetable oil should be used to brush the interiors of two 8-inch-round baking pans.

 

Combine the ginger and 2 cups of water in a medium-sized pot. Cover the pot and let it simmer for ten minutes over low to medium heat after it comes to a boil.

 

Put the intensity off. Allspice and the Chinese Earthy Rock Sugar should be added until the sugar is completely broken down. Get rid of the ginger slices. Now, add 1 1/2 cups of ice water to the mixture to make it warm rather than hot.

 

In a gigantic mixing bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour and rice flour together, and subsequently relaxed incorporate the sugar water mix.

To ensure that the batter is smooth and free of lumps, thoroughly stir it. Molasses, orange zest, vanilla extract, and two teaspoons of vegetable oil should then be thoroughly combined.

The batter that comes out should be the consistency of condensed milk. On the off chance that the hitter is excessively thick, add a couple of tablespoons of water at a time until it's the right consistency.

Split the player between two foil-shrouded dish. Tap the pans gently against your countertop to remove any air bubbles. To improve the appearance, you can add three pretty dried dates to the center of each pan.

Put both of the pans in a double-decker bamboo steamer and steam them for about one hour on high heat. The water should be boiling, but it shouldn't be bubbling so high that the foil pans can't touch it.

To keep the water from drying out and burning your bamboo steamers, you may need to add hot water halfway through the steamer.

 

Insert a toothpick into the rice cake after one hour. It's finished on the off chance that the toothpick confesses all — very much like a customary cake!

 

Concerning procedures, for this recipe and as a general rule, it doesn't make any difference what sort of vessel you use. Since using steam to cook the food is the primary objective, it is critical that no steam escapes.

 

For instance, in the event that you use bamboo liner, you will likewise require a pot that fits the bamboo liner impeccably so there is no noticeable steam getting away.

 

You will need to place the bamboo steamer inside a much larger pot with a lid and set it on a rack above the water if you don't have a pot that fits the bamboo steamer. Peruse more about various steaming set-ups.)

 

If everything is set up correctly, you shouldn't see any steam escape, no matter what you use!

I like to make these ahead of time for Chinese New Year, once more. I pan-fry the sliced cake on all sides in a cast iron pan with a small amount of canola oil when we are ready to enjoy it.

 

Partake in this sweet Nian Gao for Chinese New year!

Ingredients include 4 slices of ginger, 2 cups dark brown sugar or brown rock sugar, 12 teaspoons allspice powder, 112 pounds glutinous rice flour (one and a half bags, as they typically come in 1-pound bags), 12 pounds rice flour (about half a bag), 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon dark molasses, 1 zest of 1 large orange, and 6 dried dates (for decoration, optional).

Instructions:

Before baking, apply vegetable oil to the interiors of two round 8-inch baking pans.

In a medium pot, combine the ginger and two cups of water. Cover the pot when it reaches a boil and let it simmer for ten minutes over low to medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and allspice after the heat has been turned off until the sugar is completely dissolved. Get rid of the ginger slices. Now, add 1 1/2 cups of ice water to the mixture to make it warm rather than hot.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the two kinds of flour before gradually adding the sugar and water mixture. To ensure that the batter is smooth and free of lumps, thoroughly stir it. Molasses, orange zest, vanilla extract, and two teaspoons of vegetable oil should then be thoroughly combined. The following player should have a consistency like thick milk. On the off chance that the hitter is excessively thick, add a couple of tablespoons of water at a time until it's the right consistency.

Split the player between two foil-shrouded dish. Tap the pans gently against your countertop to remove any air bubbles. To cover each pan, place three pretty dates in the middle, if using. Steam the searches for gold for one hour at high intensity in a bamboo liner with two layers. The water should rise to the surface, but it shouldn't be so high that the foil dish can't reach it. You may need to add water halfway through the steamer in order to keep the water from drying out and burning your bamboo steamers.

Following an hour, install a toothpick into the rice cake. Like a traditional cake, it's finished when a toothpick confesses everything! For this recipe and most others, it doesn't make any difference what sort of vessel you use. The primary goal of steam cooking is to prevent steam from escaping.

 

For instance, if you use a bamboo liner, you will also need a pot that perfectly fits the bamboo liner so that no steam is visible coming out. In the event that you don't have a pot that fits the bamboo liner, you ought to place it in a lot greater pot with a cover and set it on a rack over the water. No matter what you use, you shouldn't see any steam escape if everything is set up correctly!

TIPS and NOTES:

Two round cakes measuring 8 inches are produced.

When adjusting the recipe's size, you should use the amounts in the scaled ingredients list rather than the amounts in the instructions.