Yam and pumpkin kueh - by Alicia Wong

WHAT IS REQUIRED
Servings: About 30 pieces (20 cm x 20cm x 5 cm tray)

• 300 grams of yam or taro peel and cut into cubes
• 200 grams of pumpkin cut into cube
• 50 grams of baby shrimps or dried shrimps (soaked). If dried shrimps were used, chop roughly.
• 50 grams of Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and cut into small strips
• 100 grams of minced meat
• 100 grams of shallot peel and sliced thinly
• 80 ml of cooking oil
Rice flour solution
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt (not in picture)
• 1/2 teaspoon of five spice powder (not in picture)
• 1/2 tablespoon of white pepper
• 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce (not in picture)
• 250 grams of rice flour
• 400 ml of meat broth from chicken or pork ribs. If plain water is used, additional seasonings to taste is required

Garnish
• 2 tablespoons of coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion
• 1 tablespoon of chopped red chilli (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds
• 100 grams of chopped dried radish （菜脯）
Others
• Line a 20cm x 20cm x 5 cm baking tin with water proof parchment paper or any container that can fit your steamer.

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• In a big sauce pan, put in 80 ml of cooking oil and stir fry the shallots under medium heat until the shallots are brown, Drain and set aside of later use.
• Use the same shallot oil to stir fry minced meat, baby shrimps and mushrooms. Stir fry until slightly brown and the fragrance of the dried shrimps and mushrooms start to spread.

• Add the yam cubes and pumpkin cubes and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Off the heat.
• In a big container, put the rice flour and meat broth or plain water. Add in half of the fried shallots, seasonings (salt, five spice powder, white pepper and light soya sauce). Stir well and add in the stir fry yams and pumpkins.

• Stir well and transfer to a 20cm x 20 cm x 5 cm baking tin (or any baking tin that can fit your steamer). Steam under high heat for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted to the cake comes out clean.

• In a hot pan, stir fry the dried radish with 1 tablespoon of oil until the radish started to “jump up and down” on the sauce pan. Off the heat, cool and set aside.
• When the yam cake is ready, sprinkle the radish, sesame seeds, chilli, half of the fried shallots, chopped coriander leaves and use a spoon to slightly press against the cake. You have to do this earlier when the cake is still hot and moist, otherwise, the toppings will not stick to the rice cake and when you cut the cake, it will become very messy.
• Cut into the desired size for serving. Best served with Thai sweet chilli sauce or sweet thick soya sauce.