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Uiro (ういろう, steamed rice-flour cake)
Dense, smooth steamed cake of rice flour and sugar, flavoured with matcha
Uiro is the classic sweet of Nagoya, sold in long blocks at the station as a souvenir, and Yamaguchi has its own lighter version made with bracken starch. It is eaten through the year with tea, and in June a triangular version topped with azuki, minazuki, is eaten in Kyoto to mark the halfway point of the year. A simple batter of non-glutinous rice flour, sugar and water is steamed into a firm, smooth, slightly springy cake with a gentle sweetness. This one is flavoured with matcha; stir in a little sweet bean paste or sakura instead for variety. Uiro is naturally egg-free: steaming cooks the rice starch, which sets the cake into a dense, clean-cutting slab with no binder needed. Chef's tip: the common mistake is cutting it hot; let it cool completely, then slice with a wet knife or a piece of cling film, or it smears.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- ⅔ oz potato starch
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp matcha powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp neutral oilfor the tin
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Line a 15 cm square tin or heatproof container with parchment and brush the sides with 1 tsp neutral oil.
Step 2: Whisk 5 ½ oz joshinko (fine non-glutinous rice flour), ⅔ oz potato starch, 4 oz caster sugar and 2 tsp matcha powder together, then whisk in 1 cup water gradually until smooth and lump-free.
Step 3: Pour the batter into the tin, cover the top loosely with a cloth-wrapped lid so condensation does not drip on it.
Step 4: Steam over boiling water for 15 minutes, then stir the half-set batter with a spatula to keep it even.
15 minStep 5: Smooth the top and steam for 15–20 minutes more, until the cake is slightly translucent, firm and a skewer comes out clean.
20 minStep 6: Cool completely, about 30 minutes, then cut into slices with a wet knife. Wrap well; it keeps 2 days at room temperature.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does uiro (ういろう, steamed rice-flour cake) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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