Chinese New Year Sticky Rice Cake ( Niangao )

This is a reduced version of the market place Nian Gao, the ubiquitous CNY snack.

I made this for someone who has been sick for a while and has been longing for all the goodies that he had as a kid. So here it is, as a treat for him. I have tweaked down the sugar but feel free to push up the sugar part if subtle is not your cup of tea.

Adapted from here 

Ingredients :

5 medium sized AL tins

5 tin foil the size of the tins, oiled with coconut butter

Syrup-

120g gula Melaka

250 ml water

5 pieces of pandan leaves, finger length

Flours :

250g glutinous flour

4 Tbsp water ( standby )

3 Tbsp coconut butter

garnish :

2 cups of freshly grated coconut

1 pinch of salt

Method :

Combine syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil until gula is completely dissolved. Remove leaves.

Leave to cool.

Sift flour into a mixing bowl.

Pour gula syrup into the flour. Mix well with a whisk.

If the batter is too thick, all the ( standby ) water, one Tbsp at a time. Batter should reach the consistency of condensed milk.

Whisk in  coconut butter.

Pour the batter into the tins.

Top with foil, buttered side down.

Steam for 40 minutes.

Cool completely.

Microwave the grated coconut and salt.

Leave to cool.

Cut out and coat in a bed of grated coconut.

Serve hot.