Savory Taro Cake

Savory taro cake is a common dim sum item. This nutty flavored, semi-crunchy on the outside and medium-soft on the inside cake is delicious served with hoisin and hot chili sauce. I have also eaten taro cakes served along side Chee Cheong Fun (steamed rice rolls) sold by street hawkers in Malacca. 

Ingredients

1 pound taro - diced finely

1/2 cup shallot, fried and set aside

2 cloves of garlic, minced finely

1/4 dried shrimps, soaked in water and finely diced

3 Tbsp pickled radish, diced finely

1/4 cup shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water and finely diced

1 cup rice flour

1/4 cup potato starch

1 /2 cup water

1½ tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp MSG or use chicken powder

1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

Method:

Peel taro and discard the skin. Dice the taro and put in a saucepan with enough water to just barely cover the taro. Add a teaspoon of salt and cook until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add garlic, dried shrimps, pickled radish and fry for about 1-2 minutes. Then add mushrooms, taro and give everything a good stir. salt, white pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chicken powder if using. Remove from heat and tip it over into the cooked taro. Adjust the seasonings. Add the fried shallots, the chopped green onions and set aside

Stir rice flour with 1cup to 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix well. Then add the potato starch and stir the batter to achieve a homogeneous batter. You can adjust the softness of the taro cake by adding more or less water.

Add the flour batter to the taro mixture. 

Transfer the batter into a greased 8- inch pie pan. Steam for about 50 minutes on medium heat until cake is set and firm to touch. Remove from steamer and allow to cool and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours before use. Garnish with scallions and deep-fried shallots and serve with garlic chili sauce. 

To pan-fry, cut cake into 1/2 -inch slices. Heat up some oil in a saute pan over medium heat and pan-fry till browned on both sides. Add some hot chili sauce and saute for another minute or two. Then add some fresh shrimp, an egg, some bean sprouts and minced pickled radish. Cook for another 3 minutes. Serve hot.