BLACK SESAME PUDDING CUBES

nine-layered black sesame pudding cubes

Have you ever had "Nien Goh"? It's the Chinese New Year's rice pudding cake that's steamed. This Black Sesame Pudding recipe is similar to the New Year's rice pudding cake in many ways. The base is rice flour and sugar and it's steamed. In fact, it's steamed in layers...9 layers in all. In the picture, you can see at least 8 layers. My ninth layer is kind of thin and doesn't show up very well. But it's there!

This recipe yielded a pudding that was not as chewy or tender as I would have liked. I wanted to replicate the Black Sesame puddings you get at Dim Sum. This one was more dense and very filling. After one cube, I was done and wanted to go to take a nap.

The black sesame flavour was pretty good, but perhaps this pudding is best eaten warm and fresh. After refrigeration, the pudding became harder and wasn't as pleasant to eat cold. I hadn't tried resteaming the pudding after it was refrigerated, but it's worth a try to bring back the texture. I don't think I'd make this one again. I couldn't eat more than one cube because it was so filling.

BLACK SESAME PUDDING

(from Distinctive Snacks of Hong Kong)
1 1/2 oz (40 g) black sesame
8 oz (225 g) castor sugar
3 1/2 cups water
7 oz (200 g) rice flour
2 oz (50 g) waterchestnut flour
1/2 T oil

• Rinse, drain and air-dry the black sesame. Stir-fry in dry clean wok until golden brown. Grind in 6 oz(200 ml) water. Put through a sieve to form a fine solution.


• Dissolve castor sugar in 6 oz (200 ml) water


• Mix rice flour and waterchestnut flour with 2 cups (500 ml) water. Add oil and mix.


• Add the above 3 items together, mix well. Pour a thin layer of mixture to about 1/2 cm thick in a square tin. Steam over high heat for 3 minutes until set.


• Remove wok lid, pour in a second layer of mixture, steam for another 3 minutes. Repeat this process for 9 layers and then steam the whole pudding for 20 minutes.


• Remove from heat. Cool, unmould, slice and serve.


• Tip: mix sesame solution well before steaming.