Traditional New Year Cake 傳統年糕

A classic chewy, sweet steamed rice cake, traditionally enjoyed during Chinese New Year for good luck and prosperity. Its sticky texture symbolizes family cohesion and progress.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 500g glutinous rice flour
• 50g wheat starch
• 400g dark brown sugar (or Chinese slab sugar)
• 500ml water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (for greasing)

Steps

1. Grease a heatproof steaming mold with cooking oil. Line with parchment paper if desired.
2. In a large bowl, combine glutinous rice flour and wheat starch.
3. In a separate pot, add water and dark brown sugar. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Do not boil. Let it cool slightly.
4. Gradually pour the warm sugar syrup into the dry ingredients, stirring constantly until a smooth batter forms.
5. Strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps, ensuring a very smooth texture.
6. Pour the strained batter into the prepared steaming mold.
7. Prepare a steamer by bringing water to a rolling boil. Place the mold into the steamer.
8. Steam over high heat for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the steamed Nian Gao from the steamer and let it cool completely at room temperature before cutting and serving. This can take several hours or overnight for it to firm up and develop its chewy texture.

Related recipes

More Hong Kong recipes

Stir-fried Long Beans with Preserved Olive Vegetables and Minced Garlic Roast Duck Rice Yuenyeung Money Bag Tripe Stir-fried Spring Vegetables with Bean Sprouts, Crispy Garlic and Salted Fish Stir-fried Beef with Broccoli in Oyster Sauce