Steamed Nien kuo with grated coconut

Nien kuo is a sticky glutinous rice pudding which is placed at the altar of the Kitchen God during Chinese New Year. The sticky dessert is believed to prevent the Kitchen God from talking too much about the family by gluing his lips and teeth together. This pudding is made of glutinous rice flour and sugar which is steamed until the sugar turns a caramelized brown colour. Nien kuo also sounds like “year high” and recalls the adage nien nien gao sheng (“raising oneself in each coming year”).

It is months since we celebrated Chinese new year and I still have a couple of nien kuo in my larder. What to do with the nien kuo?

Most people fry the nien kuo in batter, sandwiched between a piece of yam and sweet potato. During confinement, you should fry it without the yam and sweet potato. I find this very oily and fattening so I prefer to steam it.

Wash and cut the nien kuo into bite size pieces

Place in a steamer and steam until soft

Roll the steamed nien kuo in slightly salted grated coconut and serve immediately.

I must admit I love eating this and I can finish half of this amount in one go.

Enjoy!!!