Red Date Sticky Rice Cake
A comforting Chinese dessert featuring soft, chewy rice cake gently cooked with sweet red date paste. Perfect for celebrating prosperity in the new year.
Story
This traditional dish, often served during Chinese New Year, combines the symbolic sweetness of red dates (jujubes) with nian gao, a sticky rice cake that represents growth and prosperity. The dates are softened, pureed, and then cooked with the rice cake until everything becomes wonderfully tender.
Ingredients
dried red dates (jujubes)
200g
sticky rice cake (nian gao)
300g
granulated sugar
3 tablespoons
water
500ml
Instructions
1
Prepare the red dates
Place the dried red dates in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 10 minutes until they become plump and soft. Drain the water, then remove the pits from each date and chop the flesh finely.
2
Prep the rice cake
Cut the sticky rice cake into bite-sized cubes, about 1-inch pieces. Rinse briefly under cold water to remove any excess starch, then drain well.
3
Cook the rice cake
Bring 500ml of fresh water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the rice cake cubes and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces become soft and translucent.
4
Combine and finish
Add the chopped red dates and sugar to the pot. Stir gently to distribute everything evenly. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the dates have broken down into a jammy paste and the sauce has thickened slightly.
5
Serve warm
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Serve warm in bowls, spooning the sweet date sauce over the soft rice cake pieces. The dish is best enjoyed fresh while still warm.
