Coming together for nian gao
Family members join hands to make sticky rice cakes the old way from scratch
BALIK PULAU: Although the making of nian gao (sticky rice cake) requires a lot of time and hard work, Tan En Yee sees it as an opportunity to spend time with her family.
She decided to spend her day off making the sweet and sticky glutinous rice cakes with them.
The 24-year-old nurse said making nian gao was an annual affair for her and her family at their home here.
“I enjoy the process as I get to catch up with my family members.
“I am the fourth generation in my family who learned the trade from my great-grandmother. I had the privilege of learning from her when I was younger,” she said.
Tan said her mother, Lee Li Yong, 51, decided to pick up the art of making nian gao as she wanted to help her great-grandmother and grandmother.
“The work is tedious and they were growing old.
“My mother was interested in making nian gao and she has been selling it since five years ago,” she said.
Tan said this year, her mother and aunt, Yen Soh Pei, 44, started making the traditional delicacy from Jan 24.
“Every day, they start work from as early as 4am. The process of making nian gao the traditional way is long and tedious as each batch requires over 16 hours of work. They can produce up to 400 nian gao of various sizes each day.
“My family prepares everything, from the firewood and banana leaves to grinding the pure glutinous rice imported from Thailand.
“My cousin and uncle will log wood from the forest behind our home before drying them a few months before.
“We plant our own banana trees and soften the leaves by lightly burning them over a wood fire before using them to line the tins,” she said.
Tan explained that they have to steam the batter over a wood fire for between 14 and 15 hours.
“We have to closely monitor the fire and water in the wok.
“After steaming, we have to leave the nian gao to harden for two days,” she said, adding that they also observed several “taboos” when making the cake.
Lee said they were still selling the delicacy at the same price as last year although the price of glutinous rice has gone up.
“We understand that everyone is going through a hard time. We decided to earn a little less so that everyone can have a happy Chinese New Year.”
Tan’s grandmother Chan Ah Moi, 75, who oversees the whole process, said she was happy to see her grandchildren making the sweet cake together.
“It is always a joyous occasion to see my grandchildren gather and make nian gao together.
“I will teach and guide them to make the perfect nian gao, which has a smooth and sticky yet firm texture,” she said.
Nian gao, also known as thnee kuih in Hokkien or kuih bakul in Malay, is among some of the traditional cake offerings at the altar during Chinese New Year.
Nian gao is customary for the annual sending-off of the Kitchen God a week before Chinese New Year, when the deity ascends to heaven to present a yearly report on the households to the Jade Emperor.