How to make chewy nian gao that doesn't stick to your teeth? Or yi bua - a traditional Hainanese coconut kueh that not many people in Singapore know about? This Chinese New Year, home cooks Gladys Foo and her mother share their family recipes.
0:00 Making love letters (egg rolls) together - a CNY family tradition
0:54 Mrs Foo's Fried Nian Gao recipe
3:48 What is yi bua?
4:33 Gladys' and Mdm Ong's Yi Bua recipe
For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER!
cna.asia/insideryoutubesub
Follow CNA INSIDER on:
Instagram: / cnainsider
Facebook: / cnainsider
Website: cna.asia/cnainsider
*********
MRS FOO'S NIAN GAO RECIPE
Ingredients
350g glutinous rice flour
280g sugar
360ml room temperature boiled water
70g caramelised sugar (melt about 150g of sugar)
Note: Extra caramelised sugar can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Method
1. Line three 6” round containers with cellophane wrap and oil them. Ensure there is excess wrap to fold over the edge of the container.
2. Secure the excess cellophane wrap tightly with a string around the perimeter of the container.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour and sugar together.
4. Add water part by part slowly into the flour and caramelised sugar. Mix well, ensuring no lumps are formed.
5. Sieve mixture into lined containers to ensure no lumps.
6. Steam over high heat for three hours.
7. Once cooked, remove nian gao from heat and let it cool completely before removing from the container.
8. Cool it completely. Remove the container and trim off cellophane in the sides.
9. Let it set at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, or in the freezer for a few hours.
FRIED NIAN GAO
Ingredients for flour batter (For frying 3-5 nian gao slices)
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp corn flour
0.5 tbsp rice flour
Cold water
Method
1. Mix flour, corn flour and rice flour with water to form a batter. Cut nian gao into slices and coat them well with batter.
2. Fry the coated nian gao in hot oil.
3. Remove from oil when the nian gao slices turn golden brown.
4. Cool and serve.
**********
MDM ONG'S HAINANESE YI BUA RECIPE (COCONUT KUEH)
Ingredients for coconut filling
250g fresh grated coconut
150g gula melaka
30g ginger julienne
60g ginger juice
100g peanuts, toasted and coarsely grounded
30g toasted sesame seeds
30ml water
Note: Filling can be stored for up to 1 week refrigerated
Method
1. Melt gula melaka with water in a small sauce pot. Set aside to cool.
2. Heat non-stick pan and stir fry the julienne ginger for about 2 minutes. Next, add in grated coconut and continue to stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add in melted gula melaka and mix well. Then, stir in peanuts and sesame seeds. Cook the mixture until well mixed for 5 to 7 minutes over low heat.
4. Add ginger juice and mix well. Taste to check sweetness and ginger flavour. Add more gula melaka and ginger juice according to preference.
5. Remove filling from heat and let it cool completely.
Ingredients for dough
500 g of glutinous rice flour
250ml coconut milk
For wrapping
10-12 20cm banana leaf strips
Vegetable oil
Method
1. Add glutinous rice flour into a large bowl and add in coconut milk half at a time. Slowly mix until a dough is formed. Knead the dough in the bowl until it is smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
2. Shape dough into 40g small dough balls.
3. Grease banana leaves with cooking oil and reserve some of the cooking oil for glazing after steaming.
4. Flatten a small ball of dough, spoon coconut filling in the centre. Seal the edges and roll it into a round shape.
5. Wrap a piece of banana leaf around the dough, flattened it slightly and tuck in the folds (like wrapping the base of a present) of the banana leaf and turn it over. Dust some glutinous rice flour on your hand if the dough is too sticky.
6. Steam the yi bua in batches for about 8 to 10 minutes. When they are cooked, transfer onto a plate. Leave them to cool before serving.
7. Dip a disposable chopstick in some red food colouring and place a small dot on top of each yi bua.
8. Yi bua can be served warm or cool.