The recipes on this
page are taken
from CHINA:
A REGIONAL
COOKBOOK
by Terry Tan,
published by Lorenz
Books (£25). ISBN
9780754831006SAVOURY HE AVENWWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM APRIL baking heaven 91
Sweet potato cakes
MAKES ABOUT 20 CAKES
500g (1lb 1oz) orange-fleshed
sweet potatoes, unpeeled
about 115g (4oz) glutinous rice flour
or wheat starch
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
cornflour, for dusting
honey, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark
- Place the sweet potatoes on a baking
tray and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour, or
until soft.
2 Leave the potatoes to cool slightly,
then halve and scoop the flesh into a
bowl. While still warm, mash the flesh
until smooth, then add the flour and mix
to make a dough, adding more flour
if necessary.
3 Heat the oil for deep-frying over a
medium heat. Pinch off walnut-size
pieces of dough and roll in cornflour to
coat lightly. Deep-fry a few balls at a
time, stirring so that they fry on all sides,
until they bob to the top of the oil and
turn golden brown.
4 Lift out with a slotted spoon or wire
basket and drain on kitchen paper.
Serve warm or cold, with honey.Variations
1 You can also roll the balls in sesame
seeds before deep-frying, if you like.
2 These are also delicious with ice
cream and golden syrup or maple syrup
drizzled over.Sesame seed pastries
SERVES 4
115g (4oz) plain flour
1 free-range egg
a pinch of fine salt
60ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil
For the filling
175g (6oz) sesame seeds
1 tbsp lard or white cooking fat
40g (1½oz) caster sugar
1 To make the filling, put the sesame
seeds into a dry pan and stir over a
medium heat for 8-9 minutes, or until
pale golden. Grind the warm toasted
seeds to a paste using a food processor,
grinder or mortar and pestle, then add a
few drops of water to make a stiff paste.
2 Heat the lard or white cooking fat in a
wok over a medium heat, add the sugar
and cook until it has dissolved. Add the
sesame seed mixture and cook for
2 minutes over a low heat to obtain a
smooth, thick paste. Transfer to a plate
and leave to cool completely.
3 Sift the flour into a large bowl and
make a hollow in the centre. Beat the
egg and salt together in a small bowl
and add to the well in the centre of the
flour. Pour in 200ml (7fl oz) water and
whisk everything quickly together to
make a thick but flowing batter.
4 Grease a non-stick frying pan with
some of the oil and set it over a
medium-low heat. Pour in 60-75ml
(4-5 tbsp) batter to make a thin pancake.
Cook until set on top, then flip the
pancake over and cook for 10 seconds.
Transfer to a plate. Use the remaining
batter to make more pancakes.
5 Spread 30ml (2 tbsp) of the filling onto
the centre of each pancake. Fold
opposite sides into the centre, then the
top and bottom, to make a parcel.
6 Heat the remaining oil in a large fryingpan over a medium heat. Quickly fry the
folded pancakes until crisp and golden
on both sides. Cut into slices and serve
warm or at room temperature.