Vegetarian Taro/Yam Cake (五香芋頭糕)

I've recently been craving for the creamy textures of taro. Being so heavily pregnant, I'm also getting to the point where I'm not enjoying standing in the kitchen preparing and cooking meals for my family. In fact, with my last pregnancy, I wasn't even cooking by this stage - we just ate out, had 'instant foods' or freeloaded off our parents. 

However, with an active and hungry toddler, I had no choice but to cater. 

So now, most of the things I make these days are toddler friendly foods. This is another winner with my 16 month toddler. He seems to prefer this over the radish/turnip cake (which I also love). 

Sorry I'm not specific with the taro measurement. I just bought one that was already cut in half from the Asian groceries and don't know how heavy it was...

Ingredients

600-900g taro, peeled and cubed

180g rice flour

3 cups water

2-3 vegetarian 'lap chong (臘腸)' sausages

5 dried shiitake mushrooms

A few seasoned mushroom stems/stalks (my mum makes these for me :p so flavourful!)

Seasoning

2 tsp vegetable/mushroom stock powder

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1 tsp sugar

Pinch of pepper (white)

A dash of Sesame oil

Method

1. Clean and Soak the dried mushrooms in water until soft. This can be done ahead in time. Cut the mushrooms and mushroom flavoured stems into small pieces along with the vegetarian Chinese sausages

2. In a separate bowl, combine the seasoning with 1 cup of water. Add the rice flour and mix well. 

3. Bring 2 cups (a little more if you used lots of taro) of water to a boil. Reduce to low-medium heat and add in the diced taro. Bring to boil again. Don't let the mixture dry out, make sure there's a little water left with taro. This should take approximately 10 minutes or more. Remove from heat. 

4. Add the sausages, mushrooms and rice flour mixture. Combine gently. Mix  the seasoning and flour batter in and stir. If you want more taro chunks, don't over stir. 

5. Pour the batter into a greased tray and steam on high for an hour-ish. Remember to check you always have enough water for steaming (and refilling if you run low)!! The taro cake is ready when the middle is cooked through (insert chopsticks and if it comes out clean, it's cooked). 

Serve straight away. Can also be reheated like the turnip/radish cake by frying both sides until golden. 

My 16month toddler can finish this by himself :)...