Nian Gao (or “Year Cake”) is a traditional Chinese delicacy, a sticky, sweet rice cake primarily eaten during the Lunar New Year. Its name literally means “year high,” symbolizing wishes for a higher income or a better position in the coming year.
While the classic version is a deep brown from palm sugar, this Pandan Nian Gao recipe offers a fragrant, beautiful, and slightly tropical twist. The vibrant green color and aromatic vanilla-like scent of the pandan leaf infuse the cake, making it a delightfully unique treat. Don’t be intimidated by the long steaming time—the preparation is simple! Get ready to make a cake that’s both festive and delicious.
Ingredients
This recipe makes one 6-inch (15 cm) round Nian Gao.
For the Pandan Juice:
- 1 cup (240ml) Water
- 15-20 Pandan leaves, cut into small pieces
For the Cake Batter:
- 1 cup (125g) Glutinous Rice Flour (also called Sweet Rice Flour)
- ½ cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka or coconut sugar, for flavor depth)
- 1 teaspoon Neutral Cooking Oil (like vegetable or canola oil)
- Optional: Banana leaves, for lining the mold (highly recommended for flavor!)
- Optional: 1 Red Date, for garnish
Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Prepare the Pandan Extract (Juice)
- Blend the Pandan: Place the cut pandan leaves and 1 cup of water into a blender. Blend until the leaves are completely pulverized and the mixture is a smooth, vibrant green liquid.
- Strain the Juice: Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a measuring cup. Press down on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. You should aim for about 1 cup (240ml) of pure pandan juice. Discard the pulp.
Step 2: Make the Sugar Syrup
- Dissolve the Sugar: In a small saucepan, combine the pandan juice, granulated sugar, and palm sugar.
- Heat Gently: Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until both sugars are completely dissolved. Do not boil.
- Cool: Once dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool completely to room temperature. This is crucial—hot liquid can “cook” the flour prematurely.
Step 3: Mix the Batter
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift the glutinous rice flour.
- Mix Wet into Dry: Slowly pour the cooled pandan sugar syrup into the bowl with the rice flour while whisking continuously.
- Achieve Smoothness: Continue whisking until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. The consistency should be thin and pourable.
- Add Oil: Stir in the teaspoon of cooking oil. For the best texture, you can strain the finished batter one last time.
Step 4: Prepare the Mold for Steaming
- Soften Banana Leaves (Optional but Recommended): Quickly blanch the banana leaves in boiling water for about 30 seconds, or gently wilt them over a low flame. This makes them pliable. Wipe them dry.
- Line the Mold: Line the inside of a 6-inch round baking pan or a heatproof ceramic bowl with the banana leaves, securing them around the edges. This prevents sticking and adds an amazing aroma.
- Pour the Batter: Pour the finished Pandan Nian Gao batter into the prepared mold.
Step 5: Steaming and Cooling
- Set Up Steamer: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil for your steamer.
- Steam: Carefully place the mold into the steamer basket. Cover the mold loosely with a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap to prevent condensation from dripping onto the cake.
- Cook: Steam over medium-high heat for 1.5 to 2 hours. Important: Check the water level every 30 minutes and refill with boiling water as needed so the pot doesn’t run dry.
- Check Doneness: After 2 hours, the cake should be translucent and firm. If you insert a wooden skewer, it should come out sticky but clean.
- Garnish (Optional): Press the red date into the center of the cake before removing it from the steamer.
- Cool Completely: Remove the Nian Gao from the steamer. DO NOT unmold or cut it while it’s hot! Let it cool completely to room temperature, which can take several hours or even overnight. It will firm up and its color will deepen as it cools.
Conclusion: How to Enjoy Your Nian Gao
Once cooled, your Pandan Nian Gao will be firm, sticky, and ready to enjoy!
The most common and delicious way to eat leftover Nian Gao is to pan-fry it:
- Slice the cake into thick pieces (about ½ inch).
- Dip the slices into a beaten egg mixture, coating them completely.
- Pan-fry the coated slices in a lightly oiled non-stick pan until the exterior is crispy and golden brown and the inside is soft and gooey.
This Pandan Nian Gao is a perfect blend of tradition and tropical flavor. Its chewiness and fragrant sweetness make it an irresistible snack, whether you’re celebrating the New Year or just looking for a unique dessert. Enjoy your sweet step toward prosperity!
FAQ
1. What exactly is Nian Gao and why is it important?
Nian Gao (or “Year Cake”) is a sweet, sticky rice cake traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year celebration in Chinese culture. Its name sounds like “nian gao” (年高), which means “year high” or “getting higher year after year.” Eating it symbolizes a wish for increased prosperity, a better job, or better fortunes in the coming year.
2. Can I use regular rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour?
No. You must use glutinous rice flour (also called sweet rice flour or sticky rice flour). This is the ingredient that gives Nian Gao its signature chewy, stretchy, and incredibly sticky texture. Regular rice flour will result in a cake that is dry and crumbly, not the desired sticky texture.
3. I don’t have fresh pandan leaves. What can I use instead?
You have a few options:
- Pandan Extract/Paste: Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of concentrated pandan extract or paste mixed with the specified amount of water (instead of fresh leaves). Start with less and add more to achieve your desired color and fragrance.
- Skip It: You can omit the pandan entirely and just make a traditional Nian Gao. However, you will lose the unique green color and tropical aroma.
4. Why does the recipe call for such a long steaming time?
Nian Gao is a very dense cake made from sticky rice flour, which takes a long time to cook through completely. The long steaming process (1.5 to 2 hours) is essential to fully gelatinize the glutinous rice flour, resulting in the proper sticky and translucent texture.
5. Why do I have to wait until the Nian Gao is fully cool before cutting it?
When Nian Gao is hot, it is extremely soft and gooey. If you try to cut or unmold it too soon, it will fall apart and stick everywhere. Allowing it to cool completely—ideally overnight—lets the cake firm up, making it much easier to slice neatly and handle.
6. How should I store leftover Nian Gao?
- Room Temperature: You can store Nian Gao, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to 1-2 weeks.
- Freezer: For the longest storage (up to 3 months), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
7. Besides pan-frying with egg, are there other ways to eat it?
Yes! Pan-frying with egg is the most popular, but you can also:
- Grill: Grill thin slices until slightly charred and soft.
- Steam: Re-steam chilled or frozen slices until soft again.
- Coconut Coating (Filipino Style): Dip fried slices in grated coconut for extra texture.