Yam Cake

Yam Cake have always been my favorite kuih, be it served with toppings or without, which are pan-fried.  I have been wanting to try a hand on this yummy recipe for quite a while.  Last Sunday I manage to buy some Penang Yam, and with all available ingredients in hand, I finally made this delicious Yam Cake in my home kitchen. 

Ingredients:

500g yam (peeled and cut into small cubes)

50g dried shrimps (soaked, drained and chopped - set aside the water from soaking)

8 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked, drained and diced - set aside water from soaking)

1 Chinese sausage (soaked in hot water, remove the plastic-like wrapper on the outside and diced)

120g shallots (peeled and sliced)

100ml cooking oil

1 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grounded white pepper

1 tbsp light soy sauce

200g rice flour (sifted)

900ml water/stock from soaking dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms

Few sprigs of spring onion (green part only) - chopped

2 red chilies (chopped)

Methods:

1. Heat 100ml cooking oil in a wok, add sliced shallots and fry until it starts to brown, dish onto a bowl and set aside for later use.
2. With the remaining oil in the wok, add yam and stir-fry until it starts to soften and dish into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add five spice powder, salt and grounded white pepper to the yam and stir to mix.
4. In the same wok and with the remaining oil, add diced sausage. chopped dried shrimps and diced mushrooms.  Give it a quick stir, then add 1 tbsp light soy sauce and stir fry until fragrant.  Dish the mixture into the yam, add half of the fried shallots, mix well and set aside.
5. In a heated wok add 900ml water/stock from soaking dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms.
6. Slowly whisk in rice flour, stir and cook until batter thickens.
7. Add yam mixture and stir well to mix to ensure that the yam mixture and the rice flour batter are well incorporated.
8. Oil two loaf tin and transfer the batter mixture into the loaf tin.  Use one tin if you are using a bigger loaf tin.
9. Steam for about 40 minutes, insert a skewer into the yam cake, and if it comes out clean, then it's cooked.
10. For topping, I combine the rest of the fried shallots, chopped spring onion and chopped chilies in a bowl, mix to combine the ingredients and spread on the top of the yam cake.
11. Let yam cake rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: I add more water as compared to the original recipe as the yam is very starchy. For those who prefer a more softer texture yam cake than one which is filled with yam crunch, slightly more water can be added and cut the yam into slightly smaller cubes. 

This recipe is adapted from 'The Meatmen' with slight amendment to suit my cooking.