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By Request
Betty Shimabukuro
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Timely recipe simplifies rice cake
THE FIRST time I tried this recipe, I ended up with a pan full of sludge. The second time, like magic, I got rice cake.
Which goes to show, sometimes it's not the recipe, it's you.
The object of the experimentation was a Chinese steamed rice cake -- the spongy, squishy cake that ranks near the top of the list when it comes to requests to this column.
The traditional recipe takes several days and starts with fermenting a batch of rice flour. It's very difficult to get right.
This simplified recipe came from Kwyn Fernandes, just in time for the Lunar New Year. It starts with uncooked rice, blended with warm water to make a sort of sludge. Yeast takes the place of the fermentation process.
The result is not quite the same as a professional version, but it is pretty much the right texture. The taste is the familiar sweet-sour, but stronger. If you're a real rice-cake fanatic, you might want to try cutting back on the sugar to vary the flavor. Although it does take some time to prepare, the ingredients are few and cheap, so if you are determined, some trial and error is practical.
Now, if you don't want to suffer through a pan of sludge, study these instructions and be meticulous. A good quality blender also helps.
For the purposes of this recipe, hot water means nearly boiling; warm means 100 to 110 degrees.
Steamed Rice Cake
» Part 1:
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice*
1 cup hot water
1 package yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
» Part 2:
1 cup warm water
1-1/4 cups sugar
Part 1: Soak rice in hot water 30 minutes. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar. Cover and set in warm place while rice soaks.
Part 2: Drain rice. Place 1/3 of rice and 1/3 cup water in blender. Cover and blend at high speed 4 to 5 minutes per batch, to thoroughly blend rice and water. Empty into a bowl and repeat with remaining rice and water.
Return all the liquefied rice to blender; add sugar. Blend on high speed 2 minutes.
Add yeast mixture. Blend on low speed 30 seconds. Pour into large bowl; cover and set in warm place for 2 hours.
Oil a 9-inch round baking pan. Gently stir rice mixture and pour into pan. Place on a steamer rack over boiling water and steam 30 minutes.
Cool completely, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Makes about 12 pieces.
Nutritional information unavailable.
CORRECTION
Thursday, January 19, 2006
» The recipe for Steamed Chinese Rice Cake on Page D1 yesterday should have called for 1 cup of long-grain rice. It incorrectly said long rice.
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