Chinese Steamed Yam And Pumpkin Cake (芋头金瓜糕）

UPDATED POST ON 4-9-2014

I have decided to prepare some yam cake today to serve as snack for the family. There is slight changes in the recipes and as I was on a vegetarian diet, I have prepared the vegetarian version.

The changes to my today’s preparation are as follows:

• Instead of cutting the yam into big chunks, I have decided to shred it small and omitted the use of pumpkin;
• Added some corn starch to the preserve radish such that it will not drop easily.
• Added 2 tablespoons of corn starch to enhance the texture

As for vegetarian version, I have:

• Omitted the use of shallots and garlics in the preparation
• Added slightly more 5 spice powder
• For the fried shallots, I have substituted with some fried mock goose (素鹅）
• Omitted the use spring onion and substitute Chinese celery and coriander leaves.

As a result of above slight changes, the texture is better and the preserved radish is less likely to drop. Hope readers can give it a try.

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INTRODUCTION

This is a Chinese steamed cake that brings fond memories. When I was young, the cake was prepared for offering to the ancestors and the recipe that I am going to share is the type of yam cake that my late mum used to prepare. Usually, the cake was savoury and usually prepared using yam, however, it can also be prepared using potatoes and/or pumpkins. In this illustration, I have combined both yam and pumpkins.

Unlike, those sold at hawker centres that have more flours than yam, for this homemade yam cake, I have used more yam than rice flours. If you are a yam or taro lover, you will definitely love this special steamed cake. However, if you wish, you can reduce the yam and pumpkin quantity. If you have difficulty to get hold of taro or yam, you can only use pumpkin or even potatoes.

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WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: About 30 pieces (20 cm x 20cm x 5 cm tray)

• 300 grams of yam or taro peel and cut into cubes
• 200 grams of pumpkin cut into cube
• 50 grams of baby shrimps or dried shrimps (soaked). If dried shrimps were used, chop roughly.
• 50 grams of Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and cut into small strips
• 100 grams of minced meat
• 100 grams of shallot peel and sliced thinly
• 80 ml of cooking oil

Rice flour solution

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt (not in picture)
• 1/2 teaspoon of five spice powder (not in picture)
• 1/2 tablespoon of white pepper
• 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce (not in picture)
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch (not in picture)
• 250 grams of rice flour
• 400 ml of meat broth from chicken or pork ribs. If plain water is used, additional seasonings to taste is required

Garnish

• 2 tablespoons of coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion
• 1 tablespoon of chopped red chilli (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds
• 100 grams of chopped dried radish （菜脯）
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch

Others

• Line a 20cm x 20cm x 5 cm baking tin with water proof parchment paper or any container that can fit your steamer.

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STEPS OF PREPARATION

 

• In a big sauce pan, put in 80 ml of cooking oil and stir fry the shallots under medium heat until the shallots are brown, Drain and set aside of later use.

• Use the same shallot oil to stir fry minced meat, baby shrimps and mushrooms. Stir fry until slightly brown and the fragrance of the dried shrimps and mushrooms start to spread.

 

• Add the yam cubes and pumpkin cubes and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Off the heat.

• In a big container, put the rice flour, corn starch and meat broth or plain water. Add in half of the fried shallots, seasonings (salt, five spice powder, white pepper and light soya sauce). Stir well and add in the stir fry yams and pumpkins.

• Stir well and transfer to a 20cm x 20 cm x 5 cm baking tin (or any baking tin that can fit your steamer). Steam under high heat for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted to the cake comes out clean.

 

• In a  hot pan, stir fry the dried radish with 1 tablespoon of oil until the radish started to “jump up and down” on the sauce pan. Add one tablespoon of corn starch solution (1 tablespoon of corn starch with 2 tablespoons of water), cook for another one minute. Off the heat, cool and set aside.

• When the yam cake is ready, sprinkle the radish, sesame seeds, chilli, half of the fried shallots, chopped coriander leaves and use a spoon to slightly press against the cake. You have to do this earlier when the cake is still hot and moist, otherwise, the toppings will not stick to the rice cake and when you cut the cake, it will become very messy.

• Cut into the desired size for serving. Best served with Thai sweet chilli sauce or sweet thick soya sauce.

Note:

As some readers are asking if there is a need to cook the rice flour solution, as per this recipe, I did not cook the solution because my yam and pumpkin are a lot and flour are relatively less. Therefore, mouthful of yam when you eat it.  However if you have reduce the usage of pumpkin and yam, you may want to consider to cook the rice flour solution until it resemble a paste. Add in the yam and pumpkin and continue the procedures. In this case, it may be softer than the yam cake shown in this recipes. For this recipe, you can also cook the rice flour if you wish. However, I have opted not to perform this procedure.

In the updated illustration of 4-9-2014, I have cook the rice flour solution and add to the yam until it resemble a paste. Transfer to the steamer tin and continue with the rest of the process. 

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CONCLUSION

In recent years, the cake has become a common breakfast or snack item among the Singapore and Malaysian Chinese. Most households will know how to prepare this traditional Chinese yam cake and every household will claim that theirs is the best.

Do try out this recipe of mine and let me know if it suits your families taste buds. Hope you like the post to day. Cheers

 

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