Tikoy or Nian Gao is originally a Chinese delicacy. But as soon as it influenced Filipino cuisine, it became a custom for Filipinos to prepare it during Chinese New Year.
Usually, it is easy to obtain these chewy rice cakes during this season. Both Filipinos and Chinese sell them in markets and bakeshops a few days after the new year’s celebration.
I remember when I was still young, my parents would come home holding a few colored boxes during this time of the year. Their colorful visuals amaze me all the time. I would always stick my finger and feel their texture. Then as my mom prepares us some of it to eat, I watch her do it all the time. She had a hard time slicing it because it sticks to the knife. She would then dip it in egg before frying it. After mom cooks them, I immediately grab a fork to eat the cakes. They were very soft and they taste the best when dipped in egg.
I know people prefer buying food rather than making them. But there are a lot of advantages that we can get if we cook our food by ourselves. One of them is the ability to make the food in case of unavailability. Which makes this recipe as helpful as possible.
Tips How to Cook Tikoy
- Tikoy is good on its own, but it also tastes good when added with fruits. Just chip in a few pieces of the fruit while making the mixture.
- You can also sprinkle something like sesame seeds to add a nutty flavor. Or if you just want to add a little twist and crispiness for the recipe.
- I made Ube flavored tikoy adding ube flavoring. You can also make different flavor by adding simple food coloring.
- Before slicing the tikoy, grease the knife with cooking oil so it won't become sticky.
Tikoy leftovers must be stored in the refrigerator to avoid the forming of molds. But place it in a ziplock bag too. You can reheat it using an oven, steamer, or a pan. Fry it after getting dipped in beaten egg, just like how Filipinos do.
Recipe
Tikoy Recipe
Equipment
- round pan
- steamer
Ingredients
Original Tikoy
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 oz water
Ube Tikoy
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 4 oz water
- 2 tsp ube flavor
Langka Tikoy
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 4 oz water
- 2 tsbp rice jackfruit
To serve tikoy
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying and greasing the pan
- 2 eggs scrambled
- ¼ cup cashew nuts crushed
Instructions
Original Tikoy
- In a bowl, dissolve brown sugar with water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the glutinous rice flour and mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a greased round pan.
- Place in a steamer, cover it with a tea towel and put the lid. Steam it for 45 minutes or until the top is firm. Let it cool and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Ube Tikoy
- In a bowl, dissolve sugar with water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add ube flavoring and glutinous rice flour and mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a greased round pan.
- Place in a steamer, cover it with a tea towel and put the lid. Steam it for 45 minutes or until the top is firm. Let it cool and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Langka Tikoy
- Using a blender, puree the ripe jackfruit. Set aside
- In a bowl, dissolve sugar with water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add ube flavoring and glutinous rice flour and mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a greased round pan.
- Place in a steamer, cover it with a tea towel and put the lid. Steam it for 45 minutes or until the top is firm. Let it cool and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
To serve Tikoy
- Slice the tikoy into a rectangle and dip in a bowl with lightly beaten eggs.
- Heat a pan with cooking oil over medium heat. Gently put the tikoy one by one. Leaving ½ inch apart from each other.
- Remove from the pan and drain excess oil. Serve with crushed cashew nut on top.
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