Mum's Yam Cake 妈妈的芋头糕

When I was young, I lived in a very small town. Behind my house there was an empty open field. My mother used to plant some vegetables, sweet potatoes, chillies, sugar canes, yam and others. And further more, she reared chickens too. At that time chickens were not cheap. The only times we had chicken meat to eat were during Chinese New Year or Chinese festival seasons. I could still remember she used to make yam cakes from her 'harvest'. It was so yummy. My siblings and I were always very delighted and praise our mother for being a genius because she was a illiterate who came from China. I asked her how could she made such delicious yam cake. She talked proudly that you just have to use your heart, feelings and experience - and that will make things perfect.

Now she's gone to join my father to the other world, very regret not to have paid much interest in cooking when she was around. I only could recall she told me '一碗粉加两碗水..........'. I have faith and confidence that my yam cake tastes just as good as the taste of the memory I have of my mom's yam cake.

Recipe

Ingredients:

-- 200 g yam (nett weight) cut into cubes

--200 g yam -(nett weight) steam and mash while it is hot

--3 rice bowls rice flour (elephant brand)

--50 g tapioca flour

--6 rice bowls water( if you want softer txture, just add extra 1/2 -1 bowl of water)

--1/2 rice bowl dried shrimps (soaked, chopped)

--200g - 300 g roast pork (烧肉）)cut into cubes, remove the skin.

--4 shallots (sliced or diced)

--2 tbsp. preserved turnips (chai poh)

Seasoning:

--3/4 tbsp. salt

--1 tbsp sugar

--1 1/2 fiive spice powder

--1 teaspoon pepper

--1 teaspoon seasame oil

--1 tablespoon chicken granule or 1 chicken stock cube (optional)

Method:

--1)Combine flour with water ,use a hand whisker to stir well untill no lumps, add in mashed yam.

--2) Heat wok without oil to fry dried shrimps until dry then add enough oil to fry till fragrant. Dish out.

--3) Pour 4 tablespoon of oil to saute shallots till light golden brown, add in preserved turnips stir fry till fragrant. Add in yam cubes, roast pork and the seasoning, and dried shrimps, stri fry for few minutes.

--4) Pour rice batter into (3)until the mixture becomes thick (must stir all the time to prevent burnt at the bottom).

--5)Pour (4) into a greased and lined 10" round cake tin or 9" square cake tin over rapidly boiling water for 45 minutes or until cook.

--6) Remove cake from steamer, leave to cool. Garnish with sesame seeds, spring onions, fried shallots and chillies. Cut and serve.

ENJOY