leafing through

These aren’t really cupcakes. They’re traditionally made in small bowls. So they’re bowlcakes. Typically, you make them for Lunar New Years or whenever you feel like having some. Supposedly, if your cakes rise and have that cracked open risen look to it, it’s a fortuitous sign. Or you could always just buy them from the Asian market, but what’s the fun in that? This was strictly my mom’s project. I was just the photographer, spectator, commenter, part-time sous chef, and eater. Mostly just eater.

I like eating these things mainly because of the texture and chew. They’re not crumbly like regular cakes, they’re sort of sproingy chewy. I’m sharing this recipe because it’s a traditional food, and sometimes there’s a nostalgia/culture-value to eating them.

They’re supposed to puff up more than the ones in the picture. This was attempt #1. There was an attempt 2 and 3.

• 3 cups rice flour (typically you soak rice, blend it with a bit of water until it’s very fine, then put the mush into a cloth bag and either press or drip it free of water, maybe 6 or so hours)
• 1 c. sugar
• 1.5 c. water
• 3/4 c. flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 8 small bowls (or little teacups)

Dissolve the sugar in the water and add it to the rice flour. Add flour and baking powder. Fill the bowls and steam them for a half an hour. I like them warm, and they’re reheatable in the microwave.

Here’s attempt three. They’re brown because of the brown sugar.

These have successfully risen. Now I will proceed to the final step in which I chow down. Mmm! Great with coffee or tea!

Just so you know, it wasn’t the brown sugar that made these turn out right. It was the amount of water. The ones that didn’t come out so well had too much water. The batter should be relatively thick. Like cake batter.