Chinese New Year Snack - Rice Cakes
Rice cake is not just an ordinary snack; it carries a beautiful meaning in Chinese culture as part of the traditional Chinese New Year food. Let's take a look at this dish, which symbolizes the wish for “rising higher year after year”!
What is Rice Cake?
Rice cake is primarily made from glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour. Some recipes also include ingredients like brown sugar, white sugar, milk, or cocoa powder to add flavor or enhance texture. The texture of rice cakes is soft and sticky, with a chewy and elastic feel. This traditional Chinese food is typically enjoyed during the Lunar New Year as a seasonal treat.
What Does Eating Rice Cake During Chinese New Year Represent?
Rice cake, also known as “nian nian gao” (年年糕), sounds similar to “nian nian gao” (年年高), meaning "higher year after year." It symbolizes the wish for continuous improvement in one's work and life year by year.
Eating rice cake during the Spring Festival carries the hope and blessing for a better life in the coming year. Additionally, rice cakes often come in three colors—red, yellow, and white—symbolizing gold and silver, representing wealth and good fortune.
Types and Ways to Eat Rice Cake
Rice cakes come in many varieties, and depending on the flavor and preparation method, there are several types. For instance, there are sweet varieties like brown sugar rice cakes and white sugar rice cakes, and savory options such as spicy rice cakes and cumin stir-fried rice cakes.
In terms of preparation, rice cakes can be boiled, stir-fried, pan-fried, or baked. For example, rice cakes can be cut into slices or strips and stir-fried with vegetables and meat; they can also be grilled over charcoal or boiled into a rice cake porridge.
Today, I'll be introducing brown sugar rice cake, which is easy to make!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Glutinous Rice Flour: This is the main ingredient used to make the rice cake, giving it its soft and sticky texture.
Brown Sugar: Used to make the brown sugar syrup, adding a sweet fragrance and unique color to the rice cake.
Yellow Soybean Flour: Adds a unique flavor and texture, and is sprinkled on the rice cake to enhance the taste.
Cooking Oil: Used for frying the rice cakes in a pan, creating a crispy golden exterior.
Substitutes:
Glutinous Rice Flour: You can substitute with an equal amount of sticky rice flour mixed with cornstarch in a 3:1 ratio.
This will give the rice cakes a slightly chewy texture while maintaining the soft and sticky feel.
Alternatively, you can partially replace glutinous rice flour with tapioca flour, for example, using 100g of glutinous rice flour and 50g of tapioca flour, which will create a more springy texture.
Brown Sugar: Black sugar can be used as a substitute, as it has a similar flavor, though it is richer.
Alternatively, you can replace it with a mixture of honey and white sugar in a 1:2 ratio. Honey adds a unique flavor, but you may need to reduce the amount of water since honey already contains moisture.
Yellow Soybean Flour: You can substitute with shredded coconut, which will add a rich coconut aroma to the rice cakes.
Alternatively, crushed peanuts can be used to enhance the crispy texture.
Oil: If you prefer not to use regular cooking oil, you can substitute with butter. This will give the rice cakes a rich buttery flavor.
Secrets to Success
1. Control the Water Temperature
When adding 120g of warm water to the glutinous rice flour, the water temperature should be controlled between 35-40°C (95-104°F).
This temperature range allows the dough to absorb water well, making it easier to knead without affecting the characteristics of the glutinous rice flour.
If the water temperature is too high, the dough may begin to cook partially, affecting the texture. If it's too low, the dough may not knead evenly and could become too tough.
2. Mixing and Kneading the Dough
When mixing, ensure the glutinous rice flour and water are fully incorporated to avoid dry flour particles.
When kneading the dough, do so gently and patiently until the dough is smooth and not sticky. This ensures the rice cakes have a more even, delicate texture.
3. Control the Heat While Frying
After heating the oil in the pan, use low heat to fry the rice cakes.
Low heat allows the rice cakes to cook slowly, ensuring they are cooked through while achieving an even golden color on the surface. High heat may burn the outside while leaving the inside uncooked. Flip the rice cakes occasionally to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
4. Making the Brown Sugar Syrup
Method for making the syrup: After adding the brown sugar, keep stirring to ensure the sugar heats evenly, and cook until it thickens.
Stir gently to avoid splashing the syrup.
The syrup is ready when it coats the spoon and flows slowly.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·150g glutinous rice flour
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·50g brown sugar
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·Yellow soybean flour (to taste)
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·Cooking oil (to taste)
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Add 120g warm water to 150g glutinous rice flour.
Step 2
Stir well and knead into a dough.
Step 3
Shape the dough into a rectangle and cut it into strips.
Step 4
Heat oil in a pan and add the rice cake strips.
Step 5
Fry on low heat until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
Step 6
Pour 30g of water into the pan and bring it to a boil.
Step 7
Add 50g of brown sugar.
Step 8
Cook until the mixture thickens.
Step 9
Sprinkle the fried rice cakes with yellow soybean flour.
Step 10
Drizzle the brown sugar syrup over the rice cakes. Done!
More Chinese New Year Snack Recipes
Aiwowo recipe(Glutinous Rice Balls with Sweet Filling)
Delectable Candied Sweet Potatoes
Recipe Variations
Flavor Innovations
Nutty Flavor:
Add 20g of chopped almonds, cashews, or other nuts to the dough while kneading to introduce a crunchy texture alongside the soft and sticky rice cake, enriching the layers of flavor.
Fruity Flavor:
Mash 1-2 bananas and replace part of the warm water with the banana puree when making the dough, resulting in banana brown sugar rice cakes.
The banana sweetness will infuse into the rice cake, giving it a fresh fruity flavor.
Alternatively, top the fried rice cakes with sliced fresh fruits like strawberries or blueberries and drizzle with brown sugar syrup, offering a more colorful and flavorful experience.
Different Cooking Methods
Steaming Instead of Frying:
After kneading the dough, shape it into your preferred form and place it into a mold.
Steam for 20-25 minutes. Steamed rice cakes have a softer, stickier texture and are healthier as they contain less oil. Once steamed, drizzle with brown sugar syrup and sprinkle with yellow soybean flour.
Baked Version:
Divide the dough into small portions, roll them into balls, and flatten them. Place them on a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes.
Keep an eye on them as they bake, and remove once the surface turns golden brown. Baked rice cakes have a crispier outer layer that contrasts with the soft and sticky inside.
FAQs:
If the dough is too wet, you can add a small amount of glutinous rice flour, about 10-15g at a time. Stir well while adding, and avoid adding too much flour, which could make the dough too stiff.
When frying, make sure the oil is heated well before adding the rice cakes. Don’t rush to flip them; let the bottom cook until golden and forms a crust. Then, carefully flip them and fry on medium-low heat.
If the brown sugar sauce is too thick, you can add a small amount of hot water, about 5-10g at a time, and stir until it reaches the right consistency. It should be thick enough to flow slowly but not be runny.
During frying, gently shake the pan from time to time to keep the rice cakes moving, which helps prevent them from sticking due to uneven heat.
