Sweet & Savoury Alkaline Rice Cake 咸甜碱水糕

Another long waiting recipe from my list to do ! Finally, I have time to work this out recently. This alkaline rice cake is quite similar to chwee kuih, the common steamed rice cake. The only difference is the additional of alkaline liquid to the batter or some may use borax, which created a chewy & springy texture to this cake. This is actually a heritage Hokkien snack dish and it is normally served with gula melaka coconut gravy & spicy dried shrimp paste. Does it sounds good to you !

The water did help a lot to smooth up the surface beautifully.

(Recipe inspired by chef Agnes Chang)
Ingredients :
150gm   rice flour
1 TB  tapioca flour
1/2 TB   wheat starch
1/2 tspn  salt
1 tspn  alkaline water / lye water
600ml   water
1.2 TB  cooking oil

Method :
(1) combine all flour, salt, 300ml of water & alkaline water and mix well then set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
(2) next, bring the remaining water to boil and then stir in flour batter & cooking oil, continue cooking over low heat till batter became thickened and turns into paste form.
(3) now,  transfer mixture to an 8" greased plate or tray and smooth the surface with 2 tspn of water.

(4)  finally, steamed at preheated steamer for about 35 minutes or till tester came out clean.
(5) once its done, leave to cool to room temperature then refrigerated for an hour before slicing.

It is best to prepare some fried onion oil & fried shallots for serving along with other two beautiful condiment as follow.

Ingredients for gula melaka coconut syrup :
50gm   palm sugar/gula melaka, chopped
3TB   coconut milk
1/2 pce  pandan leaf

Method :  combine all ingredients and cook till sugar dissolved & became slightly thicken. Discharge the leaf.

Ingredients for spicy dried shrimp paste :
1 TB   red chili boh
100gm   dried shrimp, soaked to soften
3 shallots, skinned & sliced
1" ginger, sliced
3  garlic gloves, skinned
1 stalk  lemongrass, only the white part, sliced
1 tspn   rough sugar
salt to taste

Method :  grind all ingredients (except salt & sugar) into paste then cook over medium heat till thick & fragrant. Off the heat then add in salt & sugar. to your taste.

I simply add in some fried onion oil & sprinkle on some fried shallots to the cake before serving. It does brings out the heritage flavour to the eyes and you'll automatically swallow your own saliva , right away. haha....

Not to mention more ! This picture already says it ALL. You can imagine how satisfying to enjoy this simple snack with the exotic flavour of the east. And its best to serve it chilled. Hope you guys will love it too !