Recipe: 水糕, Rice Pudding

Updated 31 Mar 21

I've found it Grandpa! The taste of childhood., Our Sweet Memory!

Ingredients：

• A: Homemade ground rice*, 50g tapioca flour, 350g water 
• B: 500g boiling water, 1 tbsp oil and 10g lye water*
• C: 2.5 tbsp oil, 75g minced preserved sweet turnip, 20g minced garlic, 3 tsp sweet soy sauce (or 1/2 tsp black sauce + 1 tbsp sugar)
• D: 50g palm/coconut/brown sugar, 50g water, 1 tsp soy sauce

Method:

1. Mix A till well combined. 
2. Pour A into B whisk quickly, producing slightly gooey mixture. 
3. Pour the batter into a few small bowls or a single big container. High heat steam for 15-20 mins (depending on size), set aside to cool *Pudding tastes better after resting for 8-10 hours.
4. C (Turnip) Heat oil in wok, saute garlic until fragrant. Add in preserved turnip and continue frying until fragrant. Add in seasoning and mix well. Set aside.
5. D (Sauce) Heat up until sugar dissolved. Set aside.
6. Remove rice pudding from bowl. Top with 1 tsp turnip and 2-3 tbsp palm sugar sauce. Enjoy!

*Ground rice

May use 150g store bought rice flour, but nothing beats homemade ground rice. For this recipe,

1. Rinse and soak 300g rice (used Jasmine) for 1 hour. Drain.
2. Grind/blend till very fine (slightly coarser than rice flour). For ease of blending, do use water required in A.

*Alkaline water (or 10g lye water)

1. Into a pot, mix 500g water and 1/4 tsp baking soda.
2. Bring it to boil, simmer for 5 minutes. Off. Remove from heat, immediately add oil then add A.

Notes:

• Pudding with lye water has springy QQ texture.
• Filling is more than sufficient for 2-3 more portions of rice pudding. Do store the balance in the freezer for future consumption.
• For 1/2 portion of batter, I used 3 metal bowls (size: 12cmTop, 8cmBottom), steamed for 15 mins.
• The other 1/2 portion of batter, I used 1 bigger metal bowl (size: 17cmTop, 13cmBottom), steamed for 20 mins.
• May store pudding in the fridge for a few days. To reheat, steam for 3 minutes. Off heat, rest 3 minutes in the steamer. For me, the flavour further enhanced when it is completely cool.  

Rinse and soak 300g rice (used Jasmine) for 1 hour. Drain.

Grind/blend till very fine (slightly coarser than rice flour).
For ease of blending, do use water required in A.

Add tapioca starch. Mix well. Set aside.

Into a pot, mix 500g water and 1/4 tsp baking soda.

Bring it to boil, simmer for 5 minutes.

Off. Remove from heat, immediately add oil then add A.

Whisk quickly, producing slightly gooey mixture.

Pour the batter into a few small bowls or a single big container.
High heat steam for 15-20 mins (depending on size), set aside
to cool *Pudding tastes better after resting for 8-10 hours.

May store pudding in the fridge for a few days. To reheat,
steam for 3 minutes. Off heat, rest 3 minutes in the steamer. For
me, the flavour further enhanced when it is completely cool.

Remove (or scoop) rice pudding from bowl.

Top with 1 tsp turnip and 2-3 tbsp palm sugar sauce. Enjoy!

11 Mar 2013

I have been missing the childhood rice pudding that used to be sold by an old lady near my late grandpa's place. Perhaps it is the taste... perhaps it is the memory that I am searching for.

Grandpa used to bring us to 'triangle street' to eat roti canai (and now... I can't hold back my tears). He would bring an egg and can't wait to ask the 'a ne' to add it on and making it to roti telur. That's grandpa! Grandpa, I miss you! I have been missing you!!! ...tears rolling down...



The recipe is good but not perfect. It doesn't has 'that' taste. I won't give up grandpa. I'll keep searching, searching for our memories!

Ingredients：

• A: 150g rice flour, 20g tapioca flour, 25g wheat starch, 230ml water
• B: 625ml hot water, 1 tbsp oil
• C: 1 tbsp oil, 75g preserved sweet turnip, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tsp sweet soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt
• D: 100g palm sugar, 1 tbsp water, 1/2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• Method:

Mix A and stir well. Set aside for 2 hours.

Pour in hot water in B and stir well. Add in oil and stir until well combined.

Pour the batter into small cups. Steam for 25 mins, set aside to cool.

Heat oil in wok, stir fry garlic until fragrant. Add in preserved turnip and continue frying until fragrant. Add in seasoning and stew under low heat for 5 mins. Set aside.

For sauce, heat up D until palm sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Remove rice pudding from cup. Top up with some preserved turnip and palm sugar sauce. Serve.