Easy and Ono Fried Nian Gao Recipe

A simple way to pan-fry your Chinese New Year cake

By: Cara Fasone

One of the best parts about celebrating Chinese New Year is eating gao. The sweet and sticky Chinese New Year cake is said to bring good luck to those who consume it. Although I've always eaten nian gao as is, this year I decided to pan-fry it; it was incredible!

Gao, the traditional Chinese New Year cake
Photo by Cara Fasone

Just like mochi for the Japanese, gao is eaten in hopes of a prosperous New Year. It is made out of rice flour and has the same stickyness as Japanese mochi, but is harder and not as sweet.

Pan-fried Chinese New Year Cake

I've always sliced my gao and eaten it just like that, but this year my friend Kevin suggested I egg-dip and pan-fry it. He said the outside will have an egg crust just like French Toast, but the inside will be soft and gooey.

Pan-fried nian gao is delicious!
Photo by Cara Fasone

Pan-fried nian gao melts in your mouth. The subtle flavors of brown sugar and coconut milk come to life. After my first bite, I wondered why I've never fried my gao all these years!

Fried Nian Gao Recipe

Ingredients:

- Chinese New Year Cake

- 1-2 eggs

- Coconut Oil

Directions:

- Slice the gao into thin slices

- Beat your eggs

- Grease pan with coconut oil

- Dip the slices of gao in the egg and place on the hot pan

-Fry until egg coating is golden-brown

How do you eat your Chinese New Year cake?