A Rare Find – Mugwort Glutinous Rice Cakes

At the Kaki Bukit CC cooking session, Aunty Teng demonstrated how to prepare a Chinese snack. During our initial meeting, she attempted to describe it to us, but we were completely unfamiliar with it, having neither seen nor tasted it before. It wasn't until she taught us how to make it that day that we understood.

Aunty Teng first learned to make this cake from her mother-in-law when she was in her early 30s. Her mother-in-law used mugwort leaves grown in the backyard for the cakes. However, her mother-in-law’s technique was somewhat different and resulted in a rather hard cake that wasn't very flavourful.

Secret Ingredient - Mugwort leaves

A few years ago, Aunty Teng came across the mugwort leaves growing at a temple. She obtained the leaves from the temple, did some research and learnt how to prepare this delicious steamed glutinous rice cake. This rice cake is unique as it contains mugwort leaves extract, which has herbal properties.

Steamed Mugwort Glutinous Rice Cakes

Ingredients:

Filling

• 300g of split mung bean （绿豆瓣）

• 1/2 tbsp ground ginger （姜茸）

• 2 tbsp brown sugar (（姜糖）

• 1 teaspoon of salt （盐巴）

Dough

• 500g glutinous rice flour （糯米粉）

• 1 tbsp mugwort leaves paste (艾叶) **

• 2 tbsp of sugar (糖）

• 2 tbsp cooking oil （食用油）

• Water

• 30 small pieces of banana leaves

Instructions:

Filling

1. Soak the split mung beans with adequate water for about 1 hour.

2. Steam the beans till they are fairly soft.

3. Mash the mung beans till fine and add in ground ginger, brown sugar and salt.

4. Stir to combine. Taste the filling and add additional salt or sugar if desired

Dough

1. In a big bowl, place the glutinous rice flour, fine mugwort leaves, oil and sugar and knead, while adding in water slowly, until the dough is smooth and pliable. (about 15 mins)

2. Press the dough containing the filling into an ang ku kueh mould. Knock the side of the mould against the table to dislodge the cake.

3. Spread some oil on a banana leaf and place a cake on top of the leaf.

4. Repeat for the remaining dough and filling.

5. Steam the rice cakes in the steamer over rapidly boiling water for about 7 minutes.

Bringing It All Together

Cooking at home can be a rewarding experience. With these delicious recipes, you can create meals that are not only tasty but also bring joy to your table.

So gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and let the cooking begin. Your kitchen is waiting for you to create something wonderful.

Making Mugwort Glutinous Steamed Cakes

Remember, cooking is not just about the food. It is about the memories you create and the love you share. Happy cooking!