年糕/New Year Steamed Rice Cake, Version 1

That time of year's coming upon us again, when family visit and lots of food are made/consumed. My family makes a certain kind of steamed rice cake for Chinese New Year that I think might be specialized to the Shanghai region. In any case, I grew up with it and think it's utterly amazing. (I know, the picture failed b/c of the patterned food on top of a patterned plate, but just pretend the plate's white, mmk?) There are a couple other versions, but this was the first kind we made this year.

Ingredients
2lb glutinous rice flour
1lb rice flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
650mL water
red bean paste and dried fruits to taste
In 9" rounds, makes about 4-5.

1. Mix the two flours, sugar, and water thoroughly. The mixture should be dry enough to still be like flour, but wet enough that when you grasp a handful and squeeze lightly, it should hold the shape. We have a large sieve with large holes that we use to sift the flour mixture; if you don't have one, just keep mixing and breaking the large pieces with your fingers until you get a somewhat fine flour. I wouldn't recommend a normal sized sieve, since the grains will be larger than the holes.

2. Ideally, you'll have a good-sized steamer. We have a 9in set that works perfectly. Bring a pot of water to boil. Coat the steamer with shortening. When the water's boiling, lightly distribute an even layer of the flour mixture on the steamer basket and immediately put over the boiling water. Do not cover. Wait until the flour mixture cooks thoroughly - it should be firm to the touch. Drop the red bean paste onto the mixture by small spoonfuls (the picture shown has 5 scoops of about 1.5Tbsp, but I think 6 scoops of 1Tbsp each is better).

3. Slowly distribute more of the flour mixture around the round of red bean paste. Don't add too much at once or it won't cook properly. The top layer should be just enough to cover the red bean paste; don't make it too thick. Add the dried fruit on top in any pattern you like. Once the top is firm, take it off the pot and flip onto a clean cheesecloth. The shortening should ensure it slips off easily. Cut into rectangular pieces and serve steamed (if you prefer to microwave it, add some water to the plate before popping it in).