"Nian Gao" New Year's cake (taiwanese)

Nian gao ( 'Sticky cake 'or 'Year cake' translated literally from mandarin) is traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year. There are numerous varieties of nian gao.Since this VERY simple recipe was taught by Jesse, a true-blue Taiwanese, it is a Taiwanese style nian gao.;p It is a sweet, stretchy, and sticky pudding made with glutinous rice flour and brown sugar, flavored with rosewater or red bean paste. The batter is steamed until it solidifies and served in thick slices. It can also be served fried. After niangao has been cooked, cooled and cut, coat it with flour and pan fry My mum likes to place two pieces of yam between nian goa before frying.

If you've never made Nian Gao before, you really have to try this! Only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 cup Glutinous rice flour,

(Basically, the ratio of flour and sugar is 1:1. However, if red bean paste is used or sweetened red beans, decrease the sugar ratio )

1 cup soft brown sugar

(sieve it well to remove lumps/ brown sugar is used for the brown color effect)

red bean paste or red beans

(i used the instant red beans beans paste usually used in bingsu or korean shaved ice dessert. However, you can steam or boil the red beans)

water

If you want it softer and eaten on its own, add 1/2 cup of water. However, if you want to fry it, the nian gao has to be thicker. Hence, 1/3 c water is used.

Directions:

Grease pan with oil

Sieve sugar. Mix flour, water and sugar together. Add in red beans.Stir until all the lumps disappear.

Steam for 1/2 hour.