Yam Puff / Woo Kok  芋頭餃子

Filling
150g char siu,
1 tsp chopped garlic
100g shelled prawns, diced
30g carrot, diced
3 dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
2 tbsp oil

Seasoning
1½ tbsp sugar or to taste
¾ tsp salt
2 tbsp oyster sauce
125ml water
1 tbsp corn flour

Thickening
2 tbsp corn flour mixed with 1-2 tbsp water

Fillings
1.Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic until fragrant. Add remaining filling ingredients and stir-fry well. Mix in seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Thicken with corn flour mixture.
2.Dish out and leave to cool completely. Refrigerate before use.



Yam pastry skin
260-280g yam, peeled and cubed
½ tsp sugar
½ - 1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp  Chinese five spices powder
¼ or less cup (60- 45g) lard or shortening/butter
¼ cup(60g)  wheat starch (tang mein fun)
¼ cup (60ml ) boiling water

 

 

For the yam pastry:
1 Boil or steam  yam until soft then remove into a mixing bowl. Add sugar . Mash the yam while it is still hot.
2. Combine boiling water with wheat starch and mix well . Stir until smooth then mix with the mashed yam. Add 5 spices  powder, baking soda and shortening or lard   Mix until well combined.
3.Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes
4. Divide into 8 balls about 20-50gm each
5. Using a plastic sheet flatten each dough and wrap around with a tablespoon of filling. Seal and shape into an oval-shaped dumpling.
6. Add 2 cups of oil into a small pot and heat the oil to about 150º Celsius Then immediately turn to smallest heat and add in 2 balls. Add in 2 balls and f ry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:
Keep oil at 70 degrees Celsius to deep fry the yam dumplings. If oil is too hot, it will turn dark and hard. A lower oil temperature will allow a lattice like crust to form around the dumpling as they are being fried.
Important  - Initial correct oil temperature  of 150º Celsius is crucial before turning to smallest heat. Add more baking soda if necessary  depending on the amount of yam or taro you used . Using Baking Soda will produce the famous beautiful lattice-net like design skin but you have to be very careful and quick in the frying process as it blacken and burn easily.

Back to Recipes Index