Lunar New Year Rice Cake
I just can’t start the new year without eating this. Every year, I gift those who I favor this rice cake And every year, my aunties would compliment 不是太甜 which means that it’s not too sweet. The highest praise from the matriarchs of Asian society.
Equipment
- 1 Steaming Pot Any vessel that is large enough to steam something in
- 1 Tin Any vessel that can hold all of the batter
Ingredients
- ¾ C Boiling Water
- ¾ C Brown Sugar
- ¾ C Coconut Milk (Cold)
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2.5 C Glutinuous Rice Flour
- 1 Tbsp Starch
- Zest of ½ Orange
- 2 Tsp Ginger (Grated)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together Water and Brown Sugar to dissolve it. Add in Coconut Milk, Oil, Salt, Vanilla, Orange Zest, and Grated Ginger.
- Mix in Rice Flour and Starch until a smooth paste-like batter is formed.
- Line a tin with oiled parchment paper, and pour the batter in. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to remove some bubbles from the batter.
- In a pot used for steaming, pour in 2-3 inches of water and set the stove to high. When the water is rapidly boiling, put in the tin, cover the pot with a lid, and reduce the heat to low or to a simmer. Every ten minutes, add in more water if needed, turn the heat up to high until the water comes to a rapid boil, boil for 20 seconds, and reduce the heat to low or simmer. This will ensure that there is enough steam to steam the rice cake. Steam for 40 minutes, so do the previously mentioned action three times in 10 minute intervals. Check if the rice cake is cooked by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out with loose batter or very loose mochi, then it is not done. If unsure, steam for another 20 minutes.
- After steaming, remove the tin from the steamer and let the rice cake cool to room temp in the tin. After cooling, remove from the tin and slice into it to eat or airfry or panfry it till crispy brown. If airfrying, airfry on 400F for 10-15 minutes. If panfrying, remember to use enough oil. Store by wrapping it with plastic wrap in the fridge. It will get hard in the fridge and lose its elastic texture. Reheat by steaming, microwaving, panfrying, or airfrying it.
Notes
Hot water is preferred as it will further dissolve the brown sugar.
Cold coconut milk is preferred as it will lower the temp of the hot water, so that the starch and rice flour won’t immediately clump when added in.
Don’t add in the rice flour and starch if the mixture is really hot, as they will seize and clump up together.
If the rice cake is pulled out of the tin while it’s still very hot, the rice cake will collapse and the shape won’t hold.