Taro Cake

also called wu tau go · wu tao gou · yu tou gao · 芋頭糕 · taro cake · fried taro cake

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Taro Cake: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
1/4 cup(25 g; soaked 20 min and chopped)dried shrimpfry the shrimp, bacon and mushroom 5 mintoss the taro cubes in the seasoning 4 minstir the hot stock into the slurry, fold the taro throughsteam 50 min, cool 1 hr, chill 12 hrpan-fry the slices 8 min, turning once
3 oz(85 g; lap yuk, finely diced)Chinese cured pork belly
4(soaked and diced)dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Tbspeanut oil
1 1/2 lb(680 g; peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes)taro
1 tspkosher salt
1 tspsugar
1/2 tspChinese five-spice powder
1/2 tspwhite pepper
1 1/2 cups(360 mL)hot chicken stock
1 1/2 cups(210 g)rice flour
1/2 cup(120 mL)water
2 Tbspeanut oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry the shrimp, bacon and mushroom 5 min

2toss the taro cubes in the seasoning 4 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3stir the hot stock into the slurry, fold the taro through

goes in with what step 2 made

5pan-fry the slices 8 min, turning once

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 14 hr 7 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
17 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 14 hr.

  1. fry the shrimp, bacon and mushroom 5 min

    5 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. toss the taro cubes in the seasoning 4 min

    4 minneeds you5 min in

  3. stir the hot stock into the slurry, fold the taro through

    not timed9 min in

  4. steam 50 min, cool 1 hr, chill 12 hr

    13 hr 50 minwalk away9 min in

  5. pan-fry the slices 8 min, turning once

    8 minneeds you13 hr 59 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need cake pan · skillet · steamer · wok

See how it is written
>> title: Taro Cake
>> category: Flatbreads & Pancakes
>> tags: taro, rice flour, chinese, steamed, pan-fry
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: wu tau go, wu tao gou, yu tou gao, 芋頭糕, taro cake, fried taro cake
>> servings: 12
>> time: 14 hr
>> step.1: fry the shrimp, bacon and mushroom 5 min
>> step.2: toss the taro cubes in the seasoning 4 min
>> step.3: stir the hot stock into the slurry, fold the taro through
>> step.4: steam 50 min, cool 1 hr, chill 12 hr
>> step.5: pan-fry the slices 8 min, turning once

Fry @dried shrimp{1/4%cup}(25 g; soaked 20 min and chopped), @Chinese cured pork belly{3%oz}(85 g; lap yuk, finely diced) and @dried shiitake mushrooms{4}(soaked and diced) in @peanut oil{1%Tbs} in a #wok{} for ~fry{5%min}.

Toss @taro{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes) through @&(~1)savouries{} with @kosher salt{1%tsp}, @sugar{1%tsp}, @Chinese five-spice powder{1/2%tsp} and @white pepper{1/2%tsp} for ~fry{4%min}, just until the edges of the cubes turn. Taro is fried rather than simmered here — cubes that stay whole are what a slice of this is judged on.

Stir @hot chicken stock{1 1/2%cups}(360 mL) into @rice flour{1 1/2%cups}(210 g) slaked smooth with @water{1/2%cup}(120 mL), then fold @&(~1)taro{} through.

Steam @&(~1)batter{} in an oiled 8-in #cake pan{} in a #steamer{} for ~steam{50%min}, until a skewer comes out clean, then ~cool{1%hr} and ~chill{12%hr} overnight. Warm, the loaf will not slice; cold, it cuts like cheese.

Slice @&(~1)set loaf{} into 1/2-in slabs and pan-fry them in @peanut oil{2%Tbs} in a #skillet{} for ~fry{8%min}, turning once, until both faces are crusted and the taro inside has gone floury and sweet.