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Nangua bing (pumpkin sticky rice cakes)
南瓜饼 · golden pan-fried patties of pumpkin and glutinous rice flour with red bean paste inside
Every family restaurant from Zhejiang to Sichuan has a plate of these little golden pumpkin cakes on the menu, and grandmothers make them at home in autumn when pumpkins pile up at the market: steamed pumpkin is kneaded with glutinous rice flour into a soft orange dough, wrapped round a spoonful of red bean paste, pressed flat and fried until crisp outside and chewy inside. Children love them for dessert or as an afternoon snack. The common mistake is adding all the flour at once; pumpkins vary in moisture, so add it gradually until the dough is soft like earlobes and no longer sticky. Chef's tip: fry them on a medium-low heat with the lid on for the first side, so the centre steams through before the outside darkens.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz pumpkinor a dense squash; peeled, seeded, in chunks
- 7 oz glutinous rice flourplus a little extra
- 1 oz sugar
For the filling and coating
- 6 ½ oz sweet red bean paste
- 4 tbsp white sesame seeds or panko breadcrumbs (optional)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/6 doneStep 2: Mix ⅔ oz wheat starch or cornflour with three-quarters of 5 ½ oz glutinous rice flour and add to the warm pumpkin. Knead, adding the rest of 1 ¾ oz glutinous rice flour a little at a time, until the dough is soft, smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.
Step 3: Divide the dough into 12 balls and 6 ½ oz sweet red bean paste into 12 small balls. Flatten a dough ball in your palm, put a bean ball in the centre, close the dough over it and roll smooth, then press into a patty 1.5 cm thick. Press both sides into 4 tbsp white sesame seeds or panko breadcrumbs if you like.
Step 4: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Fry the cakes, lid on, for 4 minutes until golden underneath.
4 minStep 5: Turn them over and fry uncovered for 3–4 minutes more, until golden and crisp on both sides and they puff slightly and feel soft when pressed.
4 minStep 6: Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve warm; they firm up as they cool. Don't let small children eat them piping hot, as the chewy dough holds the heat.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nangua bing (pumpkin sticky rice cakes) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of wheat starch or cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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