The Dishes

Chai tow kway (Chinese carrot cake)

Prep time: | Cook time: | Serves 4

  • Marinated Mushroom
  • 6 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 green onions (sliced)
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1-2 chillies
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked, strained and chopped finely)
  • Chai Tow Kway
  • 1 medium sized daikon (grated), the tops can be chopped and used as a garnish
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 tbsp corn flour
  • 1 cup water (plus additional)
  • marinated mushrooms (½ recipe below)
  • Remaining marinade from marinated mushrooms (recipe below)
  • 2 green onions (sliced)
  • A steamer
  • Sesame chilli oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
  • 2/3 cup sesame oil
  1. Marinated mushroom mince. Using a mortar and pestle grind garlic and chillies into a paste
.
  2. Add sesame seeds and grind together roughly
.
  3. Transfer chilli mixture into a bowl and stir through remaining ingredients until combined
.
  4. Add mushrooms and let soak for 15 minutes
.
  5. Scoop mushroom mince into a wok or fry pan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until brown, save remaining marinade.
  6. Chai Tow Kway. Oil a baking dish (20cm x 20cm will do – I use a smaller casserole dish but whatever you have in your kitchen will do).
  7. 
Add daikon and water to a pan or wok and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
  8. 
Transfer liquid from the pan/wok to a measuring cup and add more water until you have a cup of liquid
.
  9. Add daikon, reserved water, rice flour, cornflour and mushrooms to a large bowl and mix.
  10. 
Pour batter into your baking dish until batter is 2cm thick (test by putting a clean knife into it).
  11. Steam for 50 minutes on medium heat or until firm.
  12. 
Let cool and then turn the cake onto a cutting board
.
  13. Wet a knife with water and then slice cake into bite-sized pieces (wet knife between each slice to stop it from sticking).
  14. 
Optional: Shallow fry pieces in oil until brown
.
  15. Heat marinade in a fry pan on low/medium heat until it thickens
.
  16. Serve chai tow kway on a plate, drizzle with sauce and top with green onions and daikon tops.
  17. Sesame chilli oil. Combine sesame seeds and chilli flakes in a bowl.
  18. Heat sesame oil over medium heat (splash water into the pot – if it sizzles, it is hot).
  19. Pour hot oil over dry ingredients and save in a container for anytime use.
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