Chinese Fa Gao 发糕 aka. Prosperity Cakes

Chinese Fa Gao 发糕 is a sweet steamed rice cake that symbolizes - you guess it - prosperity. Chinese people love to be prosperous! Surprisingly, this simple little recipe has taken me a while to develop. And now, I feel confident to share with you a great way to make soft, yet chewy Fa Gaos from scratch.

What is a Fa Gao?

Growing up in Sichuan, I remember picking up these little rice cakes in the open markets, often made by a grandma, to take home in plastic bags. They are cheap and an alternative to the usual meat or veg steam buns or YouTiao for breakfast.

Elsewhere in China though, Fa Gaos are often served during Chinese New Years or used as a ceremonial offering to honour ancestors. Because as I mentioned already, its name in Chinese - 发糕, means “prosperity cakes”. So naturally it lends itself to be an offer of good fortune.

Even the shape, little cakes split open and bursting out on top further symbolizes abundance and excess. So the higher the cakes rise and the bigger the split, the better.

To rice or not to rice?

Developing this recipe actually took a lot of trial and error to get right. I was after a traditional recipe that uses rice and not rice flour. And while some may make their Fa Gao completely with wheat flour, the ones I remember eating were always made with rice.

To achieve the right soft and squeegee texture, I used both uncooked and cooked rice. No wheat flour or any other starches at all. So these Fa Gaos are gluten-free and a great alternative for those sensitive to gluten or wheat.

Quick or Slow Leavening?

Nowadays, you can make a quick batch of these steamed rice cakes using baking powder for leavening. But I used yeast for fermentation because I wanted the slow process which usually equals more flavour.

Furthermore, I fermented the batter twice. This leaves a tangy taste in the cakes, an important characteristic of a traditional Chinese Fa Gao. And for me, it is this slightly sour tang that makes these simple cakes more complex.

Coconut & Pandan

Ok, this part is not very traditional, at least for me. The Fa Gao of my childhood were never flavoured with coconut milk or Pandan. Just water.

But I quite like the lovely fragrance that both add to the simple rice cakes. The fat from the rich, thick coconut milk helps not only in flavour but also in terms of texture as it plays role in the thickening the batter.

Pandan leaves are tropical plants that grows abundantly in Southeast Asia. It is used in many desserts and sweets due to its subtle fragrance and sweet aroma. The flavour is akin to vanilla, with a grassy note. And it pairs really well with fellow tropical flavours like the coconut.

Using fresh Pandan leaves is nice. But you’ll have to source it, blend it and strain it…etc. So buy a good Pandan extract and you can get the same effect with less effort for these Coconut Pandan Fa Gaos.

The moulds

I purchased these silicon cupcake moulds specifically for the purpose of making Fa Gao. ( I did say that I’ve been developing this recipe for a while…) However, you definitely don’t need to. Just use any small porcelain or glass dishes that will fit into your steamer. Tea cups…sauce dishes…as long as they have high sides to allow the batter to rise upwards.

And that's it! Now you are ready to make some delicious sweet Chinese Fa Gao 发糕! Eat them warm or at room temperature and store in plastic to keep the exterior from hardening. They are a lovely little snack.