Instructions: 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.

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