Nian Gao — Lunar New Year sticky rice cake
Nian gao — literally "year cake" — is a Chinese New Year sweet of steamed glutinous rice cake, often sweetened with brown sugar and red dates. The name is a homophone for "higher year", making it auspicious. It is steamed in a wide round, dense and faintly chewy, and is typically sliced and pan-fried before eating.
i. Origin & history
Nian gao goes back at least 2,000 years in Chinese cuisine. Different regions have different versions: Cantonese nian gao is brown-sugar sweet; Shanghainese nian gao is plain and stir-fried with vegetables; Northern Chinese nian gao uses red dates and beans.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 500 g glutinous rice flour
- 300 g dark brown sugar
- 400 ml hot water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 red dates, halved (optional)
iii. Method
- Dissolve sugar in hot water; cool to lukewarm.
- Whisk rice flour into sugar water until smooth. Stir in oils.
- Pour into a greased 22 cm shallow tin. Top with red dates.
- Steam over high heat for 60 minutes until firm. Cool overnight before slicing.
- To serve: slice 1 cm thick. Dip in beaten egg; pan-fry in oil until golden on both sides.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Cantonese brown sugar nian gao is the canonical sweet version. Korean tteok is the cousin. Japanese mochi shares ancestors but is pounded rather than steamed.
vi. Common questions
What is nian gao?
Nian Gao is lunar new year sticky rice cake, from chinese cuisine. The name is a homophone for "higher year", making it auspicious
Where is nian gao from?
Nian Gao is from the chinese dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does nian gao keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 1 week refrigerated.