Sweet and Sticky Chinese New Year's Cake

2 lb. sweet (glutinous) rice flour

2/3 lb. regular rice flour

1 1/3 lb. brown sugar

8 3/4 to 9 C water

10 red or black Chinese dates

(prunes may be substituted)

8 T soft lard

1 sheet plastic wrap

Soak the dates for 4 hours. Put the 9 C water into a kettle; add the brown sugar; heat and stir until completely dissolved. Mix the two kinds of rice flour well. Slowly add the syrup to the rice flour, stirring constantly until a thick consistency is achieved. Mix in the lard thoroughly. Line a pan with the plastic wrap, grease the wrap, and pour in the rice flour mixture. Garnish the surface with the dates. Insert small tubes around the edge of the pan at regular intervals, outside the plastic wrap, to release steam. Place the pan into a steamer already at a full boil, cover, and steam 2 to 4 hours. Cool and cut in slices to serve. Slices may also be dipped in egg and pan fried.

Notes:

1. The rice flour and water must be mixed to the proper pasty consistency for the cake to steam properly. A chopstick inserted in the center of the cake that comes out clean indicates doneness.

2. Make sure there is ample water in the steamer and that it is boiling briskly before steaming the cake. Adding water or lowering the temperature during steaming will affect the final results.

3. The regular rice flour called for in this recipe makes the cake firmer; it can be substituted by more glutinous rice flour for a stickier consistency.

The rice flour and water must be mixed to the proper pasty consistency for the cake to steam properly. A chopstick inserted in the center of the cake that comes out clean indicates doneness.

Make sure there is ample water in the steamer and that it is boiling briskly before steaming the cake. Adding water or lowering the temperature during steaming will affect the final results.

The regular rice flour called for in this recipe makes the cake firmer; it can be substituted by more glutinous rice flour for a stickier consistency.

Select plump and juicy white radishes with a thin skin for best results.