Orh Nee (Teochew Yam Paste)

Orh Nee (Teochew Yam Paste)

 Ingredients required:

1 large yam (1.2kg to 1.5kg)
500g pumpkin
1 packet of gingko (125g) (I used fresh gingko)
6 tbsp sugar
1 litre of vegetable oil
200g shallots
8 pieces Pandan Leaves

Steps:

1) Rinse the gingko nuts.

2) Add the gingko into 500ml of boiling water with 4 tbsp of sugar and 2 pieces of pandan leaves. Boil for an hour or until the gingko nuts are tender and do not taste bitter. Keep aside the water used to boil the gingko nuts.

3) Slice shallots and fry in vegetable oil till golden brown. Strain and keep the oil for later use.

4) You may store the shallots for future used.

5) Cut pumpkin into large cubes.

6) Steam 15-20min the cubed pumpkin together with 3 pieces of pandan leaves, or until pumpkin is tender.

7) Once done, sieve to drain off excess water before mashing the pumpkin/ or you may leave the pumpkin as in cube.

8) Add 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of sugar and mash and set aside.

9) As for yam, slice them into small pieces for easy to handle after steaming.

10) Steam between 30 minutes to 45 minutes, or until the yam (include also 3 pieces of pandan leaves, this is for nice aroma) is tender and gives easily when poked with a chopstick.

11) Sieve off the waters from the yam before mashing. Mash the yam immediate once it's cooked until your preferred consistency of the paste.

12) Add in 2 tbsp of sugar and 5 tbsp of the water from boiling the gingko, in steps 2.

13) Put the mashed yam in a non-stick pan over low heat and add in about 600ml to 800ml of shallot oils from steps 3.

14) Stir immediately and continuously to prevent the paste from drying. The oil helps to give more moisture and a gooey texture.

15) Once done, you may serve the yam paste with mashed/ cube pumpkin on the side together with gingko.