Nian Gao (Tikoy) Chinese New Year Rice Cake
Nian Gao is a popular Chinese New Year dessert. It's a rice cake made of glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and water or coconut milk. The batter is steamed until set, chewy and sticky.
Servings: 12
Calories: 261kcal
Equipment
- 2 of 5"×2" round pans
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 3 cups glutinous rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ⅛ tsp salt optional
- 2 cups water or coconut milk
- 250 g brown sugar or to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla Or orange flavor or zest of orange
- Icing red paste color optional
For Pan-frying
- 2 tbsp butter or canola oil
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Make the Brown sugar syrup. In a saucepan, add brown sugar and water. Over medium heat, melt the sugar and set aside to warm temperature.
- Prepare the steamer. Fill the steamer with water and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Meanwhile, make the batter.
- Make the glutinous rice cake batter. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Mix with the brown sugar syrup until smooth. Add the canola oil and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Strain the batter to ensure it is lump-free and smooth.
- Add color to the batter (optional). Separate half a cup of the batter then add red paste icing color if desired.
- Prepare the pans. Grease the pans generously with canola oil or butter. For easy removal of the sticky rice cake line the pans with greased parchment paper or banana leaves if available. Pour the batter into the greased pans.
- Steam the glutinous rice cake. Place the glutinous cake batter on the steamer. Steam for 45 minutes until set and solidify. Add the red-colored batter and cover the top with parchment paper to prevent the water drops on the cake. Steam for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cooling the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely and get firm at room temperature or overnight.
- Slice the cake with the greased knife and serve it the way it is or pan-fried.
- Pan-frying Nian Gao. Preheat a frying pan and drizzle with oil or melt the butter. Dip the sliced Nian Gao (Tikoy) into a beaten egg. You can season the egg to your liking or you can pan-fry it without the egg.Pan-fry the for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
- How to serve. Add sesame seeds if desired. Serve with condensed milk or sweetened evaporated milk.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.5mg