Chinese Tikoy "Nian-Gao"

                                   "Nian Gao sandwiched in yam and sweet potato"

As a Chinese tradition, they have this for dessert, it's their New Year Cake as to Westerner's Christmas Pudding. This Sticky cake is served and enjoyed by Chinese families as it denotes family togetherness and unity, also serving it layered means a better year is yet to come, better than the previous year.

Step 1:

NIAN-GAO (TIKOY)
yields 3 cups

400gms     Glutinous Rice Flour
300gms     Brown Sugar/ Molasses Sugar
240ml        Coconut milk
150ml        Water

Bring water to boil in a saucepan and add sugar until dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk.  Leave to cool.

Cut baking paper to fit steaming cup/baking mold.

When liquid mixture has cooled down add in rice flour and mix thoroughly  into a thick batter. Transfer batter into prepared steaming cups and steam at high heat for 1 hour or until cooked through.

Leave to cool in a wire rack and put lucky symbol for authenticity.


Step 2:

When your nian-gao is ready, its time to imagine how to serve them. Of course you could always just dip it in lightly beaten egg and deep fry, but adding something else makes it more special and kind of gourmet.

This is what I did:

8pcs    Nian-gao sliced into 2"X2" squares with half an inch thickness
8pcs   Yellow Sweet Potato, steamed and cut as the nian gao
8pcs    Purple yam, steamed and cut as the nian gao
2pcs    Eggs, lightly beaten
           Cornflour
           Oil, for deep frying

Sandwich the Nian-gao between the yam and sweet potato then coat with cornflour. When ready to serve dip in egg and deep fry until golden brown. I made a pureed sweet potato sauce to go with this, making use of the cut outs from the other ingredients.