← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 250 g Water chestnut flour (ma tai fen)
• 600 ml cold water, for the batter
• 150 g fresh or tinned water chestnuts, peeled and chopped
• 100 g Chinese brown slab sugar (or dark brown sugar), chopped
• 150 g Sugar
• 600 ml water, for the syrup
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for the tin and frying

Method

1. Whisk the water chestnut flour with 600 ml cold water until smooth, then strain it into a jug. Oil a 20 cm square cake tin.
2. Heat the remaining 600 ml water with both sugars in a saucepan, stirring until dissolved, then add the chopped water chestnuts and bring to the boil.
3. Take the pan off the heat. Stir the flour batter (it settles), then pour about a quarter of it into the hot syrup, stirring constantly, until it turns into a thick, glossy paste.
4. Pour this paste into the remaining batter and stir until evenly mixed and thick. Scrape it into the tin and smooth the top.
5. Steam over boiling water, covered, for 35–40 min, until the cake is fully translucent with no white patches.
6. Cool completely, then chill for at least 3 hours until firm. Cut into slices and eat cool, or pan-fry in a little oil over medium heat for 2–3 min a side until crisp.

Tips

• Oil the knife, or use a plastic one, to get clean slices.
• Water chestnut flour is sold in small boxes in Chinese grocers; there is no good substitute.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

What To Cook Today Christine's Recipes