Steamed Rice-Taro Cake

In Vietnam, the rice cake is very popular. On the streets of Saigon, vendors around the Chinatown or in Chinese restaurants serve it as part of their famous brunch, called "dim sum". When I was growing up, it was exciting to watch this dish being made by the local vendors. I virtually witnessed the chef, "Yan can cook", on the street with a lot of the wow factor. In my memory, the cook with his fast hands threw the rice cake into an extremely large hot frying pan. The oil and rice cake danced on top of the pan. Quickly, the beaten eggs were poured on top of the cake to subdue the heat, and it was done in less than 10 minutes. Looking back, I still don't know why I thought the food or the action seemed so fantastic, but it has stayed fresh in my memory. If you don't have time, the ready-made rice cake sold in Asian markets is very good, but I think homemade rice cake is much better tasting and more economical as well.

Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca
2 cups cooked taro mashed
2 cups chicken stock*
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mushroom seasoning (optional)

Directions:
Mix rice flour, tapioca, salt, sugar and mushroom seasoning with chicken broth and water over double boiler until partly cooked.
Mix this partly cooked rice mixture with mashed taro until well blended. Line the 9 inch round cake pan with plastic wrap at the bottom (for easy removal when it is done).
Pour this mixture into the cake pan; cover the cake pan with plastic wrap to prevent water evaporation while steaming.
Place in the steamer on high heat, cook for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan, let cool before cutting. This cake freezes very well.

Now you can make rice cake with egg:
1 and 1/2 cups of rice cake cut into a 1 inch square (for one person)
1 egg
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 tbs oil

Dipping sauce:
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp hot chili oil
1 fresh chili chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
1 small clove garlic minced

Directions:
In a medium non-stick pan over high heat, add oil and rice cakes. Turn the heat down to fly the rice cakes until both sides are crispy and golden. Beat the egg, pour over the rice cake, let the egg set in minute, flip the cake so the egg will be at the bottom of the pan. Add the Scallions cook for a few second, and this cake is ready to serve.

* I think the chiken broth add more flavors to the rice cake.