If there’s anything we have in abundance during the Chinese New Year, it’s tikoy. Especially leftover tikoy. Maybe there were times when you had three different kinds of tikoy in your fridge, given by your officemates, relatives, and maybe even well-meaning in-laws. Maybe your fridge is overflowing with tikoy right now.
What to read in this article:
- Dish that you can do with left over tikoy
- Tikoy recipe with a twist
Well, good thing we’ve got some leftover tikoy recipe with a twist for you.
Tikoy, or Nian Gao, is a popular Chinese delicacy given and eaten during the celebration of the Chinese New Year. It has become a part of Filipino life, like bibingka and puto bumbong during Christmas time.
The Chinese make it a point to celebrate their Lunar New Year with tikoy because their other word for it, nian gao, sounds like their word for “higher year.” The Chinese word 粘 (nián), meaning “sticky”, sounds like 年, meaning “year.” The word 糕 (gāo), meaning “cake” sounds like 高, meaning “high or tall.” In effect, eating nian gao symbolizes making yourself “taller” (figuratively) with each coming year.
In the Philippines, we call it tikoy, a simplification of the Hokkien word ti kui (甜粿) which means sweet cooked rice for making cake.
Tikoy is made by grounding and pounding glutinous rice until it becomes a paste.
Chances are, you’re probably tired of the usual way of preparing tikoy: coated with egg, fried, and served with some sugar. Once you get acquainted with the various leftover tikoy recipes we have here, you’ll find that it’s actually a flexible ingredient that you can use in many desserts.
Leftover tikoy recipe with a twist for you and your family
1. Lumpiang Tikoy
This is one of the most popular ways to cook tikoy in many Filipino households. Lumpiang Tikoy, as the name suggests, is slices of tikoy wrapped in lumpia wrapper. It’s like a variant of turon that you can mix with other ingredients. Here are a few ways you can turn your leftover tikoy into Lumpiang Tikoy.
- Nutella Tikoy
- Langka Tikoy
- Ube Tikoy
- Cheese Tikoy
- Cream Cheese Tikoy
- Peanutbutter Tikoy
- Mango Tikoy
- Tikoy-Turon (Basically tikoy with banana)
- Sesame-Flavored Lumpiang Tikoy
This one’s worth mentioning so hear me out. It’s just like the usual Lumpiang Tikoy but with a twist. Just add a bit of sesame oil while frying, and garnish it with sesame seeds. Introducing this flavor into the dish makes a world of difference.
2. Tikoy Recipe with a twist by Chef Jam Melchor
Chef Jam Melchor is one of the hottest chefs in the Philippines right now, and he has a few ideas about what you could do with your leftover tikoy.
Tikoy and Peanut Cheese Sticks
Tikoy recipe with a twist: Sweet, nutty, and cheesy — a good combination. | Photo courtesy of GMA News
Ingredients:
- Tikoy
- Cheese
- Nuts, crushed
- Eggs
- Lumpia wrapper
- Cooking oil
Directions:
- Cut tikoy and cheese into strips.
- Dip in beaten eggs then roll on nuts.
- Put a piece of tikoy and a peanut cheese strip in the center of a lumpia wrapper, roll, fold sides and seal.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Deep fry tikoy and peanut cheese sticks in batches until golden brown.
- Serve.
Cost: Php 100/6 persons
Ginataang Tikoy
Anything in gata is the best! But with tikoy? Even better. | Photo courtesy of GMA News
Ingredients:
- Tikoy
- Saba banana
- Pandan leaves
- Coconut milk (or gata)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Water
Directions:
- Boil water
- Add pandan leaves, sugar, and a pinch of salt for flavor.
- Pour in coconut milk.
- Bring these ingredients to a boil.
- While waiting for the mixture to boil, slice the bananas and cut the tikoy in cubes.
- Once it boils, remove the pandan leaves then add in the sliced bananas and tikoy.
- Mix well for 15 minutes or until the bananas are cooked.
- Serve.
Cost: Php 100/8 persons
Bibingkoy (Bibingka-Tikoy)
A marriage of two cultures | Photo courtesy of GMA News
ASLO READ:
Ingredients:
- Tikoy
- Sweetened mongo
- Sugar
- Banana leaves
Directions:
- Cut the banana leaves into several round pieces.
- Mold the homemade tikoy to a round shape using the mouth of a glass.
- Place the molded tikoy on a banana leaf piece, then top it off with sweetened mongo and cheese strips.
- Put in a steamer.
- Check if it’s cooked with a toothpick. If something sticks to the toothpick, it’s not quite ready. If nothing sticks, then it’s ready.
- Once it’s cooked, serve.
Cost: Php 95/4 persons
3. Special Sweet Tikoy
This recipe is by Elaine Ilagan of Executive Gourmet. Here’s how you can make her version.
Ingredients:
- Tikoy
- Sugar
- 1 cup water or more
- 2 Eggs
- Flour
- 2 tbsp oil
Preparation:
- Mix all the ingredients sugar, water, eggs and flour. (You can still add other flavorings to make it more delicious and colorings.) Set aside.
- Pre-heat round pan with oil.
- Dip the tikoy in the mixture and fry it within 2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Put in a platter and serve immediately.
- Garnish with buko, nata or sago.
4. Tikoy À La Mode
Whether you’re cooking it the usual way (dipped in egg and fried) or any of the ways mentioned above, you can make it better by adding a scoop of ice cream on top. If you want some Tikoy À La Mode overkill, drizzle it with a syrup of your choice!
Other ways of preparation
There are actually a couple of other ways to serve tikoy that aren’t as popular here in the Philippines, like:
Tikoy (Nian Gao) in Shanghai cuisine – the rice paste is stir-fried or added to soups.
Northern Nian Gao– Tikoy is served steamed or fried. Sometimes, the Nian Gao is stuffed or filled with red bean paste or jujube.
Fujian Nian Gao – In the southern regions of China, Nian Gao is prepared wrapped in egg or corn starch.
Jiangnan Nian Gao – The paste is sometimes served with pickled pork soup.
Cantonese cuisine – In Guangdong, Nian Gao is sweetened with usually, brown sugar. Occasionally, it is served as a pudding with rosewater bean paste.
Tikoy is an amazing delicacy with a variety of uses. If you have any tikoy ideas of your own, share it with us in the comments!
Sources:
Ang Sarap, GMA News, Barako News, The Misis Chronicles