Since the very old days, our ancestors have given us some cooking advice: never process snake meat on a tamarind cutting board because this may create poison. Nowadays, there are long lists of the ingredients that should not be cooked together because such combinations may remove the nutritional value of the ingredients. There are also lists of food that should not be eaten together because the taste of this ingredient will harm that of the others. On the other hand, there also are ingredients that when mixed together create a very outstanding mixture. For instance, blady grass roots and broadleaf plantain can be combined to make “cool water”, or green peas and small tapioca together are used to make flavorful Che (sweet soup). Similarly, taro, coconut, green tea and honey together create a perfect combination. The chef of the First Place Restaurant (Ho Chi Minh City) took advantage of this combination to present a delicious dessert: Taro Cake with Honey and Green Tea Sauce.
TARO CAKE WITH HONEY & GREEN TEA SAUCE
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Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE
- 200g taro
- 100g grated coconut meat
- 100g dried grated coconut meat
- 50g almond
- 40g sugar
- 10g butter
- 20ml water
- 1 chicken egg
- 50g wheat flour
- 400ml cooking oil
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE
- 50ml honey
- 52ml water
- 2g green tea powder
Instructions
PROCESS
Preparation: Peel off the taro, clean it thoroughly and cut it into 5cm cubes. Add 20ml of water into 100g of finely grated coconut meat and mix them up well, then squeeze to extract the coconut milk. Roast the almond until they are golden. Whisk the egg thoroughly. Add 2ml of water into 2g of green tea powder, stir them thoroughly.
Make the taro cake: Steam the taro then blend it in a food blender. Put a frying-pan on the stove, when it is heated through, add 10g of butter, then stir in the taro and stir-fry them briefly. Continue to add the coconut milk and 40g of sugar and stir-fry them on low heat until the coconut milk is reduced and the mixture is smooth and sticky. Add 50g of roasted almond and mix them thoroughly. When the taro is already cool, roll the mixture into bite-size balls, coat the balls with dry wheat flour, then dip them into the whisked egg; finally coat them evenly with dried coconut meat.
Fry the taro cake: Pour 400ml of cooking oil into a pan, when the oil is heated, add the taro balls and stir them briefly, when the balls are evenly golden, take them out and drain them on paper towels.
Make the sauce: Pour 50ml of honey and 50ml of water into a pot, stir them constantly until they are well combined, put the pot on the stove and cook on low heat for 5 minutes; when the mixture is a bit gelatinous, add the green tea powder, stir it constantly then turn off the heat.
PRESENTATION
Place the taro cakes on a plate, serve with honey and green tea sauce.
QUALITY CHECK
The taro balls should have a waxy and nutty taste, a fragrance of butter, the buttery undertone of the coconut milk and the crunchiness of the almond.
The balls are evenly golden.
The honey and green tea sauce is gelatinous, mildly sweet and has the special aroma of green tea.
TIPS
The taro balls can be prepared well in advance and kept in the fridge for later uses.
The taro can be replaced by “Sap” taro.
EFFECTS OF THIS DISH
This dish can reduce the body heat, enhance eyesight and body resistance. It is very useful for people with asthenic body syndrome, weak Qi and body resistance, people who have respiratory diseases, coughing, constipation, insomnia and loss of appetite.
NUTRITION FACTS
Notes
TRAN THI LAN ANH First Place Convention Center (Ho Chi Minh City) Runner-up in the Golden Spoon Awards 2013
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