New Year's Cake (Neen Gow)
- 3 Chinese dried red dates
- 5 slabs brown candy (peen tong), about 11 ounces
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 7 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 large egg
- vegetable oil, for pan-frying
- In a small bowl, soak the red dates in 1/4 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened.
- When softened, remove and discard the pits.
- Cut each brown candy slab into 8 pieces.
- Place sugar in a heatproof bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water over the sugar, and set aside until dissolved and completely cooled.
- Grease a heatproof 8-inch round, 3- to 4-inch-deep, straight-sided bowl, such as souffle dish, with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, place rice flour.
- Make a well and stir in cold sugar water.
- Knead dough in the bowl, adding an additional 1/3 cup cold water until dough is smooth, slightly moist, and shiny, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Place the dough in the prepared dish and pat until it fills the dish evenly.
- Cut the red dates into halves and place cut-side down in a ring around the outside of the dough, leaving a few to decorate the center.
- Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
- Coat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, using your fingers and lightly pressing down on the dates and sesame seeds.
- Bring water to a boil over high heat in a covered steamer large enough to fit the dish without touching the sides of the steamer.
- Carefully place the dish into the steamer, cover, and steam 35 to 40 minutes on high heat.
- Check the water level and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water.
- The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Carefully remove the dish from the steamer and pour off any excess liquid on the surface.
- Place on a rack to cool.
- Loosely cover and set at room temperature in a cool room until the next day, when it will be ready to eat.
- Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen sides.
- Place a cake rack over the bowl and invert to unmold.
- Flip the cake right-side up onto the cutting board.
- Wrap the cake in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
- When ready to eat, cut the cake into quarters.
- Cut each quarter crosswise, not into wedges, but into two 2-inch-wide strips.
- Cut each strip crosswise into scant 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- This is the typical way of slicing a cake Chinese style.
- Beat an egg in a small bowl, until frothy.
- Dip the slices in egg.
- Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet, over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Add just enough vegetable oil to barely coat the wok, add the egg-dipped slices in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
red dates, brown, vegetable oil, rice flour, white sesame seeds, egg, vegetable oil
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/new-years-cake-neen-gow-100770 (may not work)