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Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.
schedulePrepare in advance
Hold the nian gao firmly with your fingers when slicing with a sharp knife to prevent the knife from slipping and causing cuts.
Slice the nian gao into square pieces 0.5 to 0.8 cm thick. Cutting them thicker is fine, set aside after cutting.
Watch out
Slice thickness must be even, otherwise uneven heating during frying will cause some parts to be undercooked or too soft.
First method: Coat the sliced nian gao with a layer of egg whites, then roll them in white sesame seeds on both sides until fully covered.
Watch out
The surface of nian gao must be fully coated with egg whites and sesame seeds, otherwise the sesame seeds will fall off and burn in the pan.
Place items gently into hot oil to avoid hot oil splashing and burning your skin.
Pour 20 ml of cooking oil into the frying pan, turn to medium-low heat, wait for the oil temperature to rise slightly, then put in the sesame-coated nian gao and pan fry until both sides are golden brown.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heat, about 4 to 5 minutesWatch out
Keep the heat at medium-low, otherwise the sesame seeds on the surface will easily burn before the nian gao inside softens.
Second method: Spring roll sheets must be thoroughly defrosted before preparation, then peeled apart sheet by sheet for later use.
Watch out
If spring roll sheets are not fully defrosted or peeled too forcefully, they will tear and fail to wrap the nian gao.
Take a piece of defrosted square spring roll sheet, place the square nian gao in the center, wrap it tightly with the spring roll sheet, and finally seal the edge with remaining egg whites to secure it.
Watch out
The edges must be coated with enough egg whites and sealed tightly, otherwise the pastry will unfold and leaking melted nian gao will happen during frying.
Watch out for hot oil splatters during frying, and use long-handled tongs to keep a safe distance when turning or removing.
Using half or full frying method, pour 60 ml of cooking oil into the pan, heat over medium-low heat, add the wrapped nian gao rolls, and fry over medium-low heat until both sides are golden brown before removing.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heat, about 4 minutesWatch out
The oil temperature must not be too high, otherwise the spring roll wrapper will burn instantly before the nian gao inside melts and softens.
Taro texture is hard and slippery, hold it firmly when slicing to prevent the knife from slipping.
Third method: First slice the taro into thin pieces and set aside.
Watch out
Taro slices must be cut thin enough, otherwise the taro will not cook through easily during frying.
In a large bowl, put 60g self-raising flour, 2g salt, half an egg, then slowly add 50ml water while whisking until it forms a smooth, moderately thick batter with no lumps.
Watch out
The batter must not be too watery or it won't coat the nian gao, nor too thick or the crust will be too thick and not crispy enough.
Sandwich a piece of nian gao between two slices of taro to make a taro nian gao sandwich, then dip the entire sandwich into the prepared batter until evenly coated.
Watch out
Taro and nian gao must press tightly together and batter must cover everything, otherwise nian gao will easily leak out when frying.
Slide items gently along the edge of the pan into hot oil, never drop them directly to prevent hot oil splatters and burns.
Pour 80 ml of cooking oil into the pan, heat over medium heat, and add the batter-coated taro nian gao. Flip when the bottom turns golden, fry until both sides are golden brown, then remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
local_fire_departmentmedium heat, about 5 to 6 minutesWatch out
Keep heat at medium, too high will burn the batter crust while the taro inside remains hard.
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