Prosperity cakes

The year of Tiger has less than a week to go and we will soon be the year of Rabbit next Friday. Like Christmas in the west, it is a major holiday for the Chinese and the busiest time of the year in terms of travelling. It is also a time for indulgence. No expense spared.

As food plays an important part in Chinese culture, you expect nothing less than scrumptious and almost continuous feasting for days. Every dish and each food item either on the table or in the mouth has to have a good or lucky meaning. Like fish for abundance, tangerine for good luck or Fah Gao which means good fortune cakes (or Prosperity cakes). 

It is a very simple cake which I have adored since I was a child. It only calls for four ingredients. Traditionally made with rice flour, a modern version with wheat flour works equally well. The flavor comes from the molasses taste of brown sugar. The only exotic bit is that you need to prepare a big pot of boiling water to steam the cake. To wish you a prosperous year of Rabbit, here is my Fah Gao to you.

Chinese prosperity cakes (Fah Gao)

- 300 ml warm water

- 120 g brown sugar

- 240 g all-purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

Dissolve brown sugar in a cup of warm water. Make sure that every clump of brown sugar disappears in water. In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder. When the brown sugar liquid is cool enough (lukewarm is fine), pour it into the flour bowl. Mix gentle until no white specks of flour can be found.

Pour the batter into oiled ramekins. Steam the cakes in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes. At end of the steaming process, turn off the stove. Keep the lid on for another 15 minutes. Don't be startled by the cracks on the finished cakes. They are supposed to be. The bigger the crack, the more good fortune you will have!

The cakes are best served warm. Happy Chinese New Year.