Chinese Taro Cake (steamed yam cake)

A plate of yam cake slices with pair of chopsticks and 2 cups of tea in the background.

4.80 from 5 votes

Chinese Taro Cake (steamed yam cake)

A dim sum classic, this Chinese taro cake, also known as yamcake or orh kuih, is fragrant, tender, and packed with fluffy, steamed taro pieces in every bite. All you need is a handful of ingredients, and it's ready in under an hour.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: slices

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

For rice flour mixture

1 cup rice flour (150g)*
2 tablespoons cornstarch (20g)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 ¼ cups water (540ml)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce vegetarian if needed
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Other ingredients

½ cup dried shrimps 20g (omit for vegetarian option, see notes)**
2 shallots diced (or 1 medium red onion)
4 cloves garlic minced
½ lb taro peeled and cubed (225g)

Toppings

1 stalk green onion chopped
1 red chili sliced
2 tablespoons fried shallots

Instructions

Prepping the ingredients

If using dried shrimp, soak in water for 30 minutes, then chop it into small pieces.
In a bowl, add all dry ingredients for the rice flour mixture. Stir to combine.
1 cup rice flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch , 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon five-spice powder, ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Pour water, oyster sauce, and sesame oil into the dry ingredients and whisk until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
2 ¼ cups water, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Making taro cake batter

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add shallots and dried shrimps (if using) and fry until fragrant.
2 shallots
Stir in garlic and cook for a minute.
4 cloves garlic
Add yam pieces next. Fry for a couple of minutes or until yam cubes are lightly browned.
½ lb taro
Whisk the rice flour mixture, then pour it into the pan. Stir consistently, and cook until the mixture has slightly thickened and has the consistency of a thick soup.
Pour the yam cake batter into a square pan lined with parchment paper. Using the back of a spoon, gently press the mixture down.

Steaming yam cake

Insert a steamer basket into a pot or wok. Add water right up until the height of the metal rack. Bring the water to a boil.
Steam the yam cake for 45 minutes or until it is cooked through. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted down the middle.
Allow yam cake to cool for 30 minutes, then top with fried shallots, chopped green onion, or other toppings. Slice it up, serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Rice flour – Make sure to use regular rice flour, NOT glutinous rice flour. I prefer using Thai rice flour.

**Dried shrimp - I am omitting to make this recipe plant-based. If using dried shrimp, reduce salt to ½ teaspoon as it is quite salty.

Helpful tips

Wear gloves when handling taro – it contains calcium oxalate, which can irritate sensitive skin.
Do not overcook the batter – When cooking yam batter, cook only until the batter offers slight resistance to prevent a chewy yam cake.
Cool before slicing – It will firm up as it cools, yielding cleaner slices.
Other add-ins - You can also add chopped Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) or sliced shiitake mushrooms to the batter.

Storing - Leftover yam cake can be refrigerated for 4-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze yam cake slices for up to 3 months.

Reheating - Allow frozen yam cake to thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat it in the microwave, steam it, or lightly pan-fry it before serving.

Nutrition