Steamed Yam Cake ( Wu Tao Kow)

Yam Cake (Vegetarian Version)

As you can see, I've been fascinated with yam or taro recently. Since the yam rice and yam ring recipes, I've been exploring other ways of using this tuber in my cooking. I shall be making the very popular, Steamed Pork Belly with Yam (Wu Tao Kao Yuk), Claypot Pork Ribs with Yam (Nga Po Wu Tao Pai Kuat), and complete my yam fascination with the Teochew Yam Pudding (Oh-Nee).

Some people like their yam cake chunky and some like it smooth. Whichever way you choose to have it, yam cake or "Wu Tao Kow", is a favourite snack amongst the Malaysian Chinese community & it is very easy to make! It doesn't matter what portion you make, you just have to remember your 1 part rice flour to 2 part water ratio. To make it taste better, you should try to get the "Pan Long" Yam (Can anyone tell me what this is in English?). You could try other types of yam which may give the cake a flourish texture.

Yam Cake with Dried Shrimps & Chinese Sausage

 Steamed Yam Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 yam (either 1 cm cubed or shredded) into 1 1/2 rice bowl full

1 rice bowl of rice flour
2 rice bowls of water
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp of dried shrimps (soaked & chopped finely) - omit for vegetarians
1 Chinese sausage (chopped finely) - optional

Seasoning: (mixed together)
1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Garnishing:
Sliced red chilli
Finely sliced scallions
Dried shrimps, pan fried & minced - omit for vegetarians & replace with deep fried minced "choy bo", pickled daikon

Method:

1. Prepare the rice flour batter by mixing the flour and water. Stir well to ensure no lumps in batter
2. Heat up 3 tablespoon of oil in wok. Saute garlic, dried shrimps and sausages. Add yam and 1/2 of seasoning and fry for 5 minutes.
3. Prepare a steaming pan by oiling the sides very lightly. Pour the batter into the pan and mix in the balance seasoning.
4.  Add the fried yam into the pan. Stir well to ensure no clumps.  
5. Steam the cake for 1 hour on high heat. 
6. Let it cool down before garnishing.