Chinese Steamed Carrot Cake Recipe: A Delicious and Healthy Snack

If you're a fan of dim sum, then you've probably tried Chinese steamed carrot cake. This classic Teochew dish, also known as chye tow kway, is a savoury cake made with shredded radish and rice flour that is steamed until it's soft and fluffy. It's a popular dish during Chinese New Year, but it's also a great dish to enjoy any time of the year. In this article, we'll give you a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious dish at home.

Essential Ingredients and Substitutions Before you start cooking, it's important to know what ingredients you'll need. The essential ingredients for Chinese steamed carrot cake are radish, rice flour, and tapioca flour. You'll also need dried shrimps, Chinese sausage, dried mushrooms, garlic, shallots, salt, sugar, red chilli, spring onion, and fried shallot for garnishing. If you're allergic to seafood, you can substitute dried shrimps with dried scallops or omit them altogether. You can also substitute Chinese sausage with bacon or ham.

Preparing the Batter The first step in making Chinese steamed carrot cake is to prepare the batter. To make the batter, you'll need to mix rice flour, tapioca flour, water, and salt in a bowl until it's smooth. Then, you'll need to sauté garlic and shallots in a pan until they're fragrant. After that, you'll need to add dried shrimps, Chinese sausage, and dried mushrooms to the pan and sauté them until they're cooked. Finally, you'll need to add the shredded radish to the pan and sauté it until it's soft. Once the radish is cooked, you can add it to the batter and mix everything together.

Key Takeaways

• Chinese steamed carrot cake is a popular Teochew dish that's made with shredded radish and rice flour.
• The essential ingredients for Chinese steamed carrot cake are radish, rice flour, and tapioca flour. You can substitute dried shrimps with dried scallops or omit them altogether, and you can substitute Chinese sausage with bacon or ham.
• To make Chinese steamed carrot cake, you'll need to prepare the batter, steam the cake, and garnish it with red chilli, spring onion, and fried shallot. You can also add seafood to the recipe, such as dried scallops or prawns.

Essential Ingredients and Substitutions

Chinese steamed carrot cake is a traditional dish that requires a few essential ingredients to make it authentic. Here are some of the main components that you should have in your kitchen before you start making this dish:

Main Components

• Rice flour: This is the main ingredient in the batter of the carrot cake. It gives the cake a soft and chewy texture that is essential to the dish.
• White radish/daikon: This is the star of the dish. It is what gives the carrot cake its signature flavour and texture. Make sure to shred it into thin matchstick size to ensure you have bites of radish when eating.
• Chinese sausage: This is a flavour enhancer that adds a savoury taste to the dish. It is usually steamed before being added to the cake.
• Dried shrimp and mushroom: These two ingredients add a umami flavour to the dish. They should be soaked in water before being added to the cake.
• Spring onion and garlic: These two ingredients add a fresh and aromatic taste to the dish. They should be chopped finely before being added to the cake.

Flavour Enhancers

• Soy sauce: This adds a salty taste to the dish and is often used as a substitute for salt.
• Sesame oil: This adds a nutty flavour to the dish and should be used sparingly.
• Fish sauce: This adds a savoury taste to the dish and is often used as a substitute for salt. Propose the use of seafood in the recipe as a suggestion where applicable. Be specific about the type(s) of seafood that can be used for cooking if you propose seafood to be used.
• Oyster sauce: This adds a sweet and savoury taste to the dish.

Substitute Suggestions

If you are unable to find some of the main components or flavour enhancers, here are some substitute suggestions that you can use:

• Tapioca flour: This can be used as a substitute for rice flour if you are unable to find it.
• Carrots: These can be used as a substitute for white radish/daikon if you are unable to find it. However, it will give the dish a slightly sweeter taste.
• Pork: This can be used as a substitute for Chinese sausage if you are unable to find it.
• Coriander: This can be used as a substitute for spring onion if you are unable to find it.
• Taro: This can be used as a substitute for white radish/daikon but will give the dish a slightly different taste and texture.
• Vegan: This dish can be made vegan by omitting the seafood and meat ingredients and replacing them with vegetable stock or vegetable seasoning.

Preparing the Batter

Making the perfect batter is essential to creating a delicious Chinese steamed carrot cake. Here are some tips to help you prepare the batter for your carrot cake:

Mixing the Right Consistency

To start, you will need a mixing bowl that is big enough to hold all of your ingredients. The ratio of liquid to starch is crucial in creating the perfect consistency for your batter. For every 300g of rice flour, add 75g of tapioca flour and 4 cups of water. Mix the ingredients together until you reach a smooth and even consistency.

Incorporating Air for Fluffiness

To make your carrot cake fluffy, you need to incorporate air into your batter. One way to do this is to whisk the batter vigorously until it becomes light and frothy. Another way is to let the batter sit for a few minutes so that the starch can absorb the liquid.

If you want to add a seafood twist to your recipe, you can try adding some chopped prawns or scallops to your batter. This will add a delicious seafood flavour to your carrot cake.

Remember to measure your ingredients accurately to ensure that your batter is perfect. With these tips, you are now ready to prepare the batter for your Chinese steamed carrot cake.

Steaming Techniques

Choosing the Right Steamer

When it comes to steaming your Chinese steamed carrot cake, you have a few options to choose from. You can use a bamboo steamer or an electric steamer. Both are great options, but if you're looking for convenience, an electric steamer is the way to go. It is easy to use and provides consistent results. If you prefer the traditional method, a bamboo steamer is a good choice. It is eco-friendly and gives your carrot cake a unique texture.

Timing and Temperature Control

To get the perfect texture for your Chinese steamed carrot cake, timing and temperature control are crucial. You want to make sure that the cake is cooked through but not overcooked. Overcooking will result in a dry and tough texture. To avoid this, make sure to simmer the water in your steamer before placing the cake inside. This will ensure that the temperature is consistent throughout the cooking process.

Seafood is a great addition to your Chinese steamed carrot cake recipe. You can use dried shrimps or scallops to add a savoury flavour to your cake. For a more luxurious taste, you can add fresh prawns or lobster meat. The seafood will complement the sweetness of the carrot and give your cake a unique flavour.

Finishing Touches and Presentation

Achieving Golden Brown Perfection

Once your steamed carrot cake is cooked, you may want to achieve a golden brown colour on the surface. To do this, you can pan fry the cake in a wok or frying pan. Heat up some oil in the wok or frying pan and place the steamed cake in the pan, flipping it over until both sides are golden brown. This will give a delicious crispy texture to the cake.

Garnishing for Enhanced Flavour

To add extra flavour to your steamed carrot cake, you can garnish it with fragrant ingredients such as spring onions, fried shallots, coriander and fresh chillis. These ingredients will not only add flavour but also a pop of colour to your dish.

Seafood can also be a great addition to your steamed carrot cake recipe. If you want to try this, you can add some diced prawns or scallops to the batter before steaming. This will give a unique and delicious flavour to your dish. Alternatively, you can serve your steamed cake with some steamed prawns or scallops on the side.

In summary, achieving a golden brown colour and garnishing with fragrant ingredients will enhance the flavour and presentation of your steamed carrot cake. Adding seafood such as prawns or scallops can also give a unique twist to your recipe.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

Chinese Steamed Carrot Cake is a versatile dish that can be served in a variety of ways. Here are some serving suggestions and creative twists on the classic recipe.

Traditional Pairings

Chinese Steamed Carrot Cake is traditionally served as a dim sum dish in Hong Kong-style restaurants. It is often paired with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and chili oil for dipping. You can also add a few drops of Shaoxing wine for extra flavour.

For a Teochew twist, serve the steamed carrot cake with dark sweet soy sauce and fried shallots. This will give the dish a slightly sweeter and richer flavour.

Creative Twists on the Classic

If you're looking to switch things up, try adding seafood to your Chinese Steamed Carrot Cake. Seafood XO sauce is a popular condiment that can be used to add extra flavour to the dish. You can also add shrimp or scallops to the batter for a seafood twist.

Another creative twist is to substitute the vegetable oil in the recipe with coconut oil. This will give the dish a slightly sweet and nutty flavour.

For a vegetarian option, you can substitute the steamed yam cake for the carrot cake. This will give the dish a slightly different texture and flavour.

Experiment with different sauces and toppings to find your favourite combination. Whether you prefer a traditional pairing or a creative twist, Chinese Steamed Carrot Cake is a delicious and satisfying dish that is sure to please.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the simplest way to make a steamed carrot cake?

The simplest way to make a steamed carrot cake is to mix grated carrots with rice flour, water, and seasoning. You can add other ingredients such as dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, and mushrooms to enhance the flavour. After mixing the ingredients, steam the cake until it is cooked through.

How can I ensure my steamed carrot cake is moist and not dense?

To ensure your steamed carrot cake is moist, use a combination of rice flour and wheat starch. Wheat starch has a lower protein content than wheat flour, which makes the cake softer and more tender. You can also add grated radish to the mixture, which adds moisture and a slightly sweet taste.

What are the key ingredients in a traditional Chinese carrot cake?

The key ingredients in a traditional Chinese carrot cake are grated carrots, rice flour, wheat starch, and seasoning. Other ingredients such as dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, and mushrooms are also commonly used. Traditional recipes may also include lard or vegetable oil for added richness.

Is there a healthier version of the steamed carrot cake recipe?

Yes, there are healthier versions of the steamed carrot cake recipe. You can use a combination of whole wheat flour and rice flour instead of wheat starch to increase the fibre content. You can also use lean protein sources such as prawns or scallops instead of Chinese sausage.

How long should I steam the carrot cake for the best results?

The steaming time for carrot cake depends on the size of the cake. For a small cake, steam for around 30 minutes, and for a larger cake, steam for around 45 minutes. It is important to check the cake regularly to ensure it is cooked through.

Can you explain what Chai Tow Kway is?

Chai Tow Kway is a Singaporean dish made from stir-fried cubes of steamed carrot cake. The cubes are stir-fried with eggs, preserved radish, and sometimes other ingredients such as prawns or Chinese sausage. Chai Tow Kway is a popular breakfast and snack food in Singapore.