My dad's Pumpkin Kway recipe

This is one 'kway' (cake) that we must have every Chinese New Year. It goes so well with the sticky sweet kway that is also served during this important festive season for the Chinese. The texture of this kway is like yam cake but it is auspicious for Chinese New Year because pumpkin is orange and looks like gold. The Chinese name for pumpkin also has the word gold in it, even more auspicious.

Occasionally, Dina will make this delicious cake because we just love it so much! Last weekend, we gave some to Mag and her mom liked it so much she requested for the recipe! So here it is but here's a warning first - like most Chinese cooking, many things are agak-agak or estimated, so you must use your best judgement. The portions here will yield one big pumpkin cake and you will need a big round baking tin with rather high sides.

INGREDIENTS
1 nice and plump pumpkin (see photo for approximate size)
6 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in cold water until soft and then sliced thinly)
sliced shallots


1 packet of ERAWAN BRAND Finest Rice Floor (600g)


Pork - sliced and seasoned with light soya sauce and pepper. DO NOT ADD THE CORN FLOUR until the very last minute, just before you fry the meat.

Dried prawns (hei-bee) - soaked in cold water

PREPARATION

1. Cut the pumpkin into palm size and carefully remove the seeds completely.


2. Holding it by the skin, shred the flesh of the pumpkin into a big bowl - careful not to cut your fingers.


Prepare the steamer at this time - fill up the steamer with water and bring it to boil.

3. PORK - Sprinkle a little corn flour into the sliced pork and mix. Heat a little oil and fry shallots until fragrant, and add meat, then add soaked hei-bee. When cooked, remove into bowl.


4. Mushrooms - Heat a little oil and fry shallots until fragrant. Add in mushroom and fry until cooked. Remove into bowl.

Each step is to fry and remove each ingredient separately. In the foreground, fried pork and hei-bee (dried prawns) and fried mushrooms.


5. Heat a little oil and fry shallots until fragrant. Add in the shredded pumpkin and keep turning until cooked. It will turn soft, mushy and creamy.

6. Pour the entire packet of flour into a big mixing bowl. Slowly fold in the soft and cooked pumpkin.


7. When it is evenly and completely mixed, add in the meat and mushrooms. Mix until everything is evenly mixed.


8. The final mixture is a light orange coloured concoction which you then pour carefully into the baking tin. Smoothen the top of the cake.


9. Place the cake in a steamer and steam for 1 hour and 20 mins. During this time, DO NOT OPEN the cover!


10. After steaming, remove and let it cool completely. This would take a while.

11. After it is completely cooled, insert a knife between the tin and cake to separate the sides of the cake from the baking tin. Holding the top of the cake with one palm, slowly tip it over, and tap to remove. Slice and store in air-tight containers. Keep refridgerated until served.

12. To serve, fry until crispy on the outside.

Enjoy!