Steamed Red Date Cake

1. Wash red dates and place in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil; then
cook, uncovered, over medium heat until softened (about 20 minutes).

2. Skin and pit dates. Puree the pulp by forcing it through a ricer or fine
sieve.

3. Gradually add glutinous rice flour to the puree and knead the mixture to
a stiff paste-like dough.

4. Form the dough into a long cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Then cut
in 1/2-inch rounds and flatten each slightly.

5. Line a small baking tin with foil or waxed paper, arrange the rounds on
top. Steam until the cakes are done (about 10 minutes). (See “How-to
Section”.) Serve hot.

NOTE: In China, the dough was shaped in wooden molds. The cakes themselves
were steamed on bamboo leaves to keep them from sticking, then served right
on the leaf. VARIATIONS:

1. In step 3, add 1 tablespoon lard to the dough.

2. After step 4, prepare the following mixture to use as a cake filling:
Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and stir once
or twice. Then add 1/2 cup walnut meats, blanched and chopped fine, and 1/3
cup sugar. Toss quickly to coat seeds and nuts with the sugar. Add 1
teaspoonful of this mixture to each disk of dough; pinch the disk into a
ball to enclose the filling. Arrange, pinched-side down, on a baking tin
and steam as in step

5.