Glutinous rice cake should be eaten within a week — Physician
MIRI: Every Chinese New Year my mother would turn a dull looking ‘ Nian Gao’ (glutinous rice cake) into a delicious ‘kuih’ – slicing it before frying it with butter and
egg. The taste of the glutinous rice cakes not only represents the Chinese tradition, it is also reminiscent of my childhood days. I also remember very vividly what my mother often told me: “The longer the rice cake is kept, the more ‘Ong’ (fortune) it would bring to the home.” Usually,twoormore rice cakes given as a present by family members and relatives were kept in the refrigerator for six months to a year and it was often during this period of time that the mould would happily grow in population on the aging rice cake. My mother would just slice off the mouldy part and fry the part that appeared to be consumable, which we as kids would devour immediately. Miri Hospital physician Dr Fam Tem Lom, however, begs to differ. “It is true that based on the old belief, the longer the rice cake, it would bring luck, fortune and prosperity to one. To be honest, the beliefs may be true, but it could also be hazardous to one’s health,” said Dr Fam when contacted yesterday.
Made with glutinous rice flour, sugar and starch, the glutinous rice cake should be eaten within a week and in controlled amount, Dr Fam pointed out.
“Glutinous rice cake has a very low nutritional value, with only starch and sugar. It does not contribute to any health value; hence it is advisable to not consume too much.
“We also often see that many people who practise old belief often keep the rice cake until it becomes mouldy. They must bear in mind that mouldy means the food has already turned bad. The toxin developed from the mould could cause food poisoning which could lead to nausea and vomit as well as serious diarrhoea. Even though the mouldy part has been sliced away and the good part is consumed, the toxin could actually affect the whole rice cake which cannot be seen with our naked eyes,” Dr Fam elaborated.
For those with gastric problem and diabetes, it is best to keep away from the sweet savoury cake as a preventive measure, he reminded.
“Children or old folks who have bad teeth should also cut down their consumption as the sugar content and sticky texture could cause more damage to dental health.”
According to legend, one week before the Spring Festival begins, the Kitchen God returns to heaven to report on a family’s behaviour during the previous year.
It is believed that any negative report by the Kitchen God means a family will suffer from bad luck during the coming year.
Thus the custom of feeding the Kitchen God glutinous cake which is also known as sticky cake evolved in order to ensure a favourable report from him.
It simply ensures that the Kitchen God’s mouth is very full and sticky with the cake to pass on an unfavourable report.
Meanwhile, New Year cookies, mostly homemade, are well-loved by many. Dr Fam said a problem with homemade cookies is that there is no specific date of expiry, therefore, it is best to finish up these cookies within 15 days of the festivity.
“Main ingredients of these cookies are butter, sugar and salt. Though higher sugar and salt content prevents them from being spoilt easily, the butter will eventually change in terms or taste and flavour. These are not easily detected; therefore, it is best to finish the cookies within two weeks.”