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Sunday, February 01, 2004
What's Cooking: Baked Nian Gao (Chinese Rice Cake)

Okay, this isn't a foodie blog, but it's MY blog, and I can make it as eclectic as I want. So today I will try something new: share my favorite recipes over the web.

Like a mixture between chewy gummy bears and soft, fluffy marshmallows, nian gao (Chinese Rice Cake) is a comfort food I can't pass up. Although nian gao is traditionally steamed, baking it is easier than watching it over the stove. Plus, baked nian gao develops a crispy crust that complements its gooey insides.

Baked Nian Gao
(Recipe adapted from China Sprout and About)

Ingredients:
1 lb. Glutinous rice flour (like Mochiko)
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 3/4 cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tbs Vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Milk
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
1 can red bean paste or sweetened red beans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat eggs with sugar and slowly add glutinous rice flour and milk.
Stir the mixture until the ingredients are FULLY blended with each other before adding baking soda. In most baking recipes, you don't want to overmix the ingredients. But when you're working with rice flour, vigorous mixing produces an extra sticky batter.
Add oil gradually while stirring continuously.
Stop when oil no longer appears as a separate layer from the rest of ingredients.
Add vanilla extract last.
Stir and make sure there are no air bubbles.
Grease a 9"x13" baking pan before pouring the dough into it.
Spread half of the batter on the bottom of the baking pan. (If you don't have red beans, dump all the batter in at once.)
Spread the red beans (you can mix some batter into the beans if they are too thick to spread).
Spread the other half of the batter over the red beans.
Bake at 350 degress F for 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center--if it comes out clean, it is done.

posted by Jessica at 11:42 PM |

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