I grew up eating quite a bit of yam. It is not something I would eat on its own, but I love a good Yam Rice, and I like yam in Bubur Cha Cha. I am not a huge fan of Orh Nee (Teochew Yam paste) but I’d eat it if it is placed in front of me. However, I do like yam paste when it is coated (is it with egg white?) and fried.
This is another dish in which I like to add yam – in a steamed kueh (cake). Weirdly enough, I am usually not a huge fan of pumpkin (not much flavor in itself) but when added to this dish, the yam and pumpkin complement each other really well – the yam adds a bit of texture to the kueh, and the pumpkin lends a sweetness.
I was making this with a friend the other day and she asked me why I’d bother making kueh since they are so readily available in markets and food stalls. Well, apart from the fact that it is very easy to make, and that it is very, very cheap to make – the pumpkin and yam cost less than $4, the kueh I make is chock full of ingredients – I can taste dried shrimps, mushroom and lup cheong (Chinese preserved sausage) in every bite!
In addition to all that, I can also dictate how soft or firm I want the kueh to be. If I want to eat it steamed, I can add more water to make a softer kueh, and if I want to pan fry the cake, I add less water so I end up with a kueh that is firmer.
So let me show you how this delicious cake is made.
Start by whisking together rice flour, tapioca starch and water. Once combined, leave this to sit for about 30 minutes.
In a skillet, saute the sliced shallots in a little vegetable oil until soft. To this, add dried prawns and stir. Cook until you can smell the aroma of the dried prawns.
To this, add the mushroom and lup cheong. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the diced yam and pumpkin. Season with chicken powder (or salt) and white pepper. Continue to stir and cook for about 4 minutes.
Pour the flour solution into the skillet.
Cook on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture has thickened.
Transfer everything into a 10-inch round baking tray.
Smooth the top with the back of a spatula.
Steam for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake has set.
Cut into pieces to serve, or you can pan fry pieces of kueh in a little oil until the sides are golden brown. (YUM!)
Top with chopped spring onion, fried shallots, roasted sesame seeds and sliced chili to serve. Eat this with light soy sauce or sweet sauce. And also chili! SLURP!
- 300g rice flour
- 25g tapioca starch
- 1000ml water
- 300g pumpkin, skin removed and diced
- 300g yam, skin removed and diced
- 5 shallots, sliced
- 40g dried prawns, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
- 6 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated, stems removed and diced
- 1 Chinese sausage (lup cheong), diced
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder or salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- Spring onion, chopped
- Chili, sliced
- Roasted Sesame seeds
- Fried shallots
- Light soy sauce
- Sweet sauce
- Chili
- Start by whisking together rice flour, tapioca starch and water. Once combined, leave this to sit for about 30 minutes.
- In a skillet, saute the sliced shallots in a little vegetable oil until soft. To this, add dried prawns and stir. Cook until you can smell the aroma of the dried prawns.
- To this, add the mushroom and lup cheong. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the diced yam and pumpkin. Season with chicken powder (or salt) and white pepper. Continue to stir and cook for about 4 minutes.
- Pour the flour solution into the skillet.
- Cook on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture has thickened.
- Transfer everything into a 10-inch round baking tray.
- Smooth the top with the back of a spatula.
- Steam for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake has set.
- Cut into pieces to serve, or you can pan fry pieces of kueh in a little oil until the sides are golden brown.
- To serve, top with chopped spring onion, fried shallots, roasted sesame seeds and sliced chili. Eat this with light soy sauce or sweet sauce. And also chili!
I am submitting this post to Cook and Celebrate: CNY2016, which I am hosting together with Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Yen from Eat Your Heart Out.
Have you cooked or baked something for the up-coming Chinese New Year? If so do share your creations with us! Please note that your post has to be a current post (ie, posted in the months of January & February 2016) and remember to link it back to us: Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from GoodyFoodies and Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. Happy cooking and baking folks!
Hi Diana,
Occasionally I would make a small tray of steam yam kueh cos I love yam. But never thought of adding pumpkin. Yummy ! homemade kueh with lots of ‘liao’!
Aah…I love adding pumpkin into almost everything. This is an amazing version of steamed yam cake, Diana! 😀
Hi Sharon, thank you! Nice blog you have! And you have certainly met many celebrity chefs!! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
Thx for your hard work!! The Chinese Steamed Yam and Pumpkin Cake was a GREAT HIT with our family!!
Awesome!! Very happy to read this 🙂
hI Diana, what is chicken powder? Thanks!
pls see http://www.chowhound.com/post/chicken-powder-847225
Thanks!
Loved how you mixed pumpkin (my fav) and yam together! When my mom made the yam type, I’ll pull a long, sour face! When it’s time for pumpkin, I’m all smiles and thanks Mummy!! But she was a mom and played fair.. Lol
My family’s not a fan of pumpkin so I would like to leave it out. How do I adjust the recipe then? Top up with 300g of yam?
Hi Karen make this instead http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2014/10/chinese-steamed-radish-cake-%E8%90%9D%E5%8D%9C%E7%B3%95/
Your recipes are so genuine and so v interesting
Even my son follows many of them eg yr char siu
My daughter n I love yr pork floss bun recipe which
We use to make any bun
We r in Virginia,otherwise would sure join yr cooking classes
Susan
Susan you just made my day with your feedback. Thank you so so much!! <3
Hi ,for 1000ml of water, can I replace 300ml of water to chicken stock , that mean 700ml water, 300ml chicken to make it 1000ml.
thanks
sure you can
can ask when receipe says 300g yam, means its the the weight if yam.before its diced or the weoght of yam after diced?? sometimes its 500g but after diced left 250g.. pls advise cos would like to try out your recipe 🙂
Hi it is after dicing!
Hi. I have tried your chinese steamed radish cake with great success! Found your steamed pumpkin cake interesting and very keen to try. Can I substitute the tapioca starch with wheat starch? What quantity should be used? Thanks