Layered Rice Cake

Layered rice cake is one of Local Hawaii's most beloved Chinatown treats. Made with coconut milk, rice flour, tapioca starch, and a white sugar batter, each thin layer is steamed one at a time until translucent, then crowned with a rich brown sugar top. Peel it apart layer by layer and save the best bite for last.

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings pieces

Calories 130kcal

Author Tani Nakamitsu

Equipment

Ingredients

Batter

60 g rice flour
140 g tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
300 ml water
200 ml full-fat coconut milk canned
125 ml whole milk
5 oz white sugar 3/4 cup

Top Layer

0.5 oz brown sugar (raw cane sugar) about 1 tablespoon

Instructions

Whisk together the rice flour and tapioca flour in a large bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
In a small pot, combine the water, coconut milk, whole milk, and white sugar. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Once cooled, pour the milk mixture into the flour bowl and stir until smooth. Reserve one ladle of the batter in a small separate bowl. Add the brown sugar to this reserved portion and stir to combine. Set aside. This is your brown top layer.
Heat your steamer with boiling water, then reduce to medium-low. Lightly mist a 6-inch square pan with oil on the sides and bottom. Place the pan into the steamer to warm.
Stir the main batter well to re-dissolve any settled tapioca starch before every pour. Ladle one scoop into the pan. Cover and steam for 3 to 4 minutes, until the layer looks translucent and fully set. If it still looks milky or white, keep steaming. Repeat for a total of 8 white layers. The last few layers may need an extra 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir the reserved brown sugar batter to recombine. Pour it into the pan as the final ninth layer. Cover and steam for about 6 minutes, until fully set.
Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly. Cut with a plastic knife into diamond shapes. Serve and enjoy.

Video

Notes

If a layer has wrinkles, the heat is too high. Lower it before the next layer.
If a layer has tiny bubbles, it cooked slightly too long.
Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid if not using bamboo to prevent condensation from dripping onto the layers.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Re-steam refrigerated pieces for 2 to 3 minutes to restore the original texture. Or microwave for a minute. Do not freeze.

Nutrition