Pumpkin Cake - Steamed then Fried

Pumpkin cake is a variation on Radish cake. It is very similar to Radish cake in ingredients and steaming process except it uses pumpkin instead of radish as the key ingredient. As a result, you get a very nice golden hue and none of the pong that radish gives (which I dislike). This is great especially for Chinese New Year as Pumpkin cake is doubly auspicious with its golden colour.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/mIvLof8g7jE

INGREDIENTS

300 gm of pumpkin (peeled and cut into small cubes)
A handful of dried prawns (soaked in hot water and chopped)
2 dried mushrooms (soaked in hot water and chopped)
2 tablespoons of rice bran oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon fried onion
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp five spice powder
300 gm rice flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
600 ml water (including soaking liquid from dried prawn & mushroom)

METHOD

1. Cut pumpkin in small cubes and soaked dried prawns and mushrooms into small pieces. Keep the soaking liquid.

2. Add cornflour to the rice flour and mix well.

3. Add water (including soaking liquid) to the flour and stir till well combined. Set aside.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add dried prawns and mushrooms and fry till fragrant.

5. Add five spice powder, white pepper and garlic and stir well to combine. Remove to a plate.

6. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add pumpkin cubes and stir fry.

7. Add salt and soy sauce and fried onion and fry the mixture for a few minutes.

8. Add the fried prawn and mushroom mixture and 1 cup of water. Bring to the boil and cook till soft.

9. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Cook till the mixture thicken to a gooey paste.

10. Pour into a pyrex dish and smooth the top with a spatula.

11. Steam for an hour till cooked. Chill in the fridge, preferably overnight.

12. Cut into thick slices and fry in a little oil till golden. You could also fry with beaten egg. Serve with hoisin sauce or spicy chilli oil.