Chinese New Year Special: Yam Cake & Nian Gao (芋头糕 & 年糕) 🧧 (Sentosa)

Instructor: Chef Ambrose Poh

We dive into the heart of Chinese New Year traditions by teaching you how to prepare two essential cakes typically presented as gifts: Yam Cake (芋头糕) and Nian Gao (年糕). These dishes symbolise prosperity and are staples during the festive season. You’ll learn the techniques required to achieve the perfect texture, from the initial steaming to the final, flavourful pan-fry.

What you’ll learn:

• Learn about the specific ratio and combination of rice flours required to achieve the traditional dense, yet tender and slightly chewy texture
• Learn how to properly prepare and render the core aromatic ingredients – dried shrimp, cured meats (like lap cheong), and shallots – to create the deeply savoury oil and crispy bits that infuse the entire batter
• Learn how to properly shred, salt, and cook yam down to remove excess moisture and reduce bitterness, which prevents the cake from becoming soggy
• Learn how to discern when exactly your cakes are cooked through and ready for cooling and setting
• Learn how to pan-fry or deep-fry the cakes to achieve a beautiful, crispy golden crust while maintaining a soft, pillowy interior
• Learn how to wrap your Nian Gao for steaming in the traditional way with banana leaves

Bring home:

• 1 x 1kg Yam Cake
• 2 x 500g Nian Gao
• 1 x Chinese New Year cake mould for steaming
• 1 x Festive Gift Box
• Hardcopy Recipes