Pan-fried Savory Taro Cake with Chinese Doughnut (Ghostly Horse Cake) 香煎鬼馬糕

This unique Cantonese delicacy combines the rich, fragrant flavors of a savory taro cake with the surprising crunch and chewiness of "youtiao" (Chinese fried doughnut), known as "ghostly horse" in Cantonese. The taro cake, infused with dried shrimp and Chinese sausage, is steamed until tender, then pan-fried until golden and crispy, offering a delightful contrast of textures.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 600g Taro, peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes
• 150g Rice Flour
• 50g Wheat Starch
• 500ml Water (for batter)
• 30g Dried Shrimp, soaked until soft, drained and chopped
• 2 pieces Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong), diced
• 2 pieces Youtiao (Chinese Doughnut), cut into 1.5cm pieces
• 3 small Shallots, finely chopped
• 2 stalks Spring Onion, chopped (for garnish)
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 0.5 tsp White Pepper
• 0.5 tsp Five-spice Powder
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil (initial stir-fry)
• 200ml Water (for cooking taro)
• As needed Cooking Oil (for pan-frying)

Steps

1. Soak Dried Shrimp until soft, then drain and chop. Dice Chinese Sausage. Peel and dice Taro into 1.5cm cubes. Chop Shallots finely. Chop Spring Onion for garnish. Cut Youtiao into 1.5cm pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine Rice Flour, Wheat Starch, and Water (for batter). Stir until smooth and no lumps remain.
3. Heat Cooking Oil (initial stir-fry) in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add Shallots and sauté until fragrant. Then add Dried Shrimp and Chinese Sausage, stir-fry until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add Taro cubes and Water (for cooking taro). Cook for about 5 minutes until the taro is slightly tender but still firm. Season with Salt, Sugar, White Pepper, and Five-spice Powder. Stir well.
5. Pour the prepared batter into the taro mixture. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture thickens slightly and the taro is evenly coated. Add the reserved Dried Shrimp and Chinese Sausage back into the pan. Mix well.
6. Transfer the mixture into a greased steaming tray (approx. 20x20cm). Smooth the top. Steam over high heat for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up before slicing.
7. Once the taro cake is firm, slice it into desired pieces. Heat Cooking Oil (for pan-frying) in a pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the taro cake slices until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Add Youtiao pieces to the pan and lightly warm them. Arrange the pan-fried taro cake and Youtiao on a serving plate. Garnish with Spring Onion. Serve hot with your preferred dipping sauce.

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