October 20, 2022

Nan Gua Bing, Chinese pan-fried pumpkin cake

Nan Gua Bing, chinese pan-fried pumpkin cakes are these delightful little treats made by mixing steamed kabocha squash with glutinous rice flour, to make a dough with a mochi-like texture. They can be pan-fried plain or filled with some red-bean paste, I also like to add sesame seeds for texture and a little flair!

I first started trying to refine the ‘recipe’ for this over 2 years ago (the notes for this was created April 15, 2020 to be exact). After making it a few times, it was really hard to nail down because every kabocha is a bit different — some are more moist, others drier. Some are sweeter, while others are not. Sharing a rough process below with notes on the adaptations that I make based on the particular squash I picked up!

I used:

  • kabocha squash
  • glutinous rice flour (mochiko flour works too but the texture will be a bit ‘softer’ in my opinion)
  • maple syrup (you can also use sugar, agave, honey)
  • untoasted white sesame seeds
  • red bean paste (optional, but recommended)
  • neutral cooking for pan-frying

To make:

  • cut kabocha into pieces that will fit into your steamer set up and remove the seeds
  • steam kabocha until totally softened, ~15-20 minutes on medium-high heat
  • let squash cool and then scoop out the flesh and mix with sweetener to taste
  • add in glutinous rice flour until the mixture is tacky but not sticky
  • roll dough into log and divide into equal sized pieces
  • take one piece and roll it into a ball, then use your thumb to create a deep dimple in the dough and press around the sides to increase the size and depth of the dimple
  • add in a small scoop of red bean paste into the dimple. Seal the ball up, roll it together, and then flatten with your palm into a disc
  • top with white sesame seeds (taste wise I think it’s best to just cover one entire side with sesame seeds, I love the toasted fragrance of them! — pour sesame seeds out into a plate and press one side of the disc into them)
  • heat up oil over medium-low heat and cook covered until golden brown, ~3 minutes on the bottom side and ~2 minutes on the sesame seed side
  • place on napkin to drain any excess oil + serve!

Notes:

  • Half a mediums-sized kabocha yielded about 2 cups of steamed kabocha, and for this I used a little over 3/4 cups of glutinous rice flour
  • I personally haven’t tried other forms of squash but I did see @dumplingclubsf post about making them with delicata once because they have more consistent moisture content

PS if you make this, would love to know if this type of recipe is helpful to you. Any feedback on writing style also greatly appreciated!