Tikoy

Tikoy is a mochi-like, sticky rice cake that is shared during lunar new year celebrations in some parts of the Philippines. I filled these rice cakes with peanut butter and dredged them in crushed peanuts.

The stickiness is meant to symbolize the bond of your family and other relationships. It’s also meant to symbolize better times to come. The other day, Miki talked about going back to the office “after the pandemic is over.” In that moment, I had a rush of chilling realization: I don’t think this is ever ending. This is how life will be from now on—quarantined in surges, during surges, shifting in intimacy and closeness from the sticky times that had precedent.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups glutinous rice flour

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup or more of warm water

  • 1 cup peanut butter

  • Neutral oil

  • About a cup or more of peanuts, finely chopped

Preparation

  1. To a large mixing bowl, add rice flour and vanilla extract. Stir and gradually add enough water until the mixture reaches a cake batter consistency.

  2. On a greased shallow casserole dish or quarter baking sheet, pour and evenly spread mixture.

  3. Add water to a pot that is roughly the same or shorter in width than the dish and bring to a simmer. Place dish on top of pot so that it is hanging off the edges and cover loosely with a towel. Steam for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick runs clear when pricked.

  4. Let the rice cake cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cutting board. Cut rice cake into roughly 2-inch long rectangles.

  5. Add a thin row of peanut butter to the short edge of each rectangle with either a piping bag or spoon. Roll each filled rice cake into a log.

  6. Add chopped peanuts to a shallow bowl. Dredge each log in the peanuts.

  7. Store in an airtight container and serve at room temperature. Happy lunar new year!

Abby