Sticky Rice Cake

There is something about sticky starchy rice that I find really "sexy" and comforting. Some people love their rice al dente cooked/soft, I love mine a little mushy. And if paired with the right type of accompanying sauce, the eating experience is incredible..!

The Japanese are known for their incredible sticky rice which is the main ingredient for making sushi and rice cakes. And as would be logical to think, the stickiness is what makes it ideal for making sushi. One of its preferred properties is the moisture retention... Some rice will dry out and become hard, almost like plastic, but the sticky rice tends to hold on to it moisture, especially when cold. So you do not get that hardness and dryness, two things you do not want in your rice dish.

In Nigeria cuisine, we have Tuwo Shinkafa, which is a dish made either from rice meal or rice cooked until very soft and then mashed up with a wooden spoon. This is usually served with a sauce, and I do actually love it served with a peanut sauce with chicken breast.

My Sticky Rice Cake is a "marriage" between our very own tuwo shinkafa, and Japanese rice cakes...! Its a fun way to serve tuwo shinkafa, and it makes a spectacular display for lunch or dinner. The presentation is bound to make you family/friends/diners wonder....

Try it out.

What you need

• Sticky rice (not the easy cook variety)
• Fried plantain discs for presentation
• Precooked stew/sauce to serve

What to do

1. Cook the rice as directed on the package. Note that sticky rice is really tricky to cook. I have found that cooking under low heat is the best otherwise what happens is, the rice will not cook through and the grains become brittle with a hard core. Add some salt to taste.
2. In the meantime, line the inside of the bowl/mould (that you wan to use to form your cake shape) with cling film and carefully arrange your plantain disks into a bowl. 
3. Then when the rice is cooked, scoop a generous amount into the bowl, already containing the arranged plantain discs. Push down on the rice as you go along to ensure the rice grains come together and take the shape of the mould. 
4. When filled, cover the bowl with the platter you are serving your cake in, and turn the bowl upside down. Then carefully remove the bowl. The use of a cling film to line the bowl from the onset will make the removal easier,
5.  You are now done, and you can serve your rice.