Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Chinese Pumpkin Sesame Cakes


I saw this Pumpkin Sesame Cakes in a Chinese cooking show recently.  It was a pumpkin recipes special and it featured this and a steamed variety.  For the steamed one, the cooking host shaped the dough into a little pumpkin and then steamed it until cooked.  She served it with some sort of sweet syrup.

I was attracted to this pan-fried version as it looked really tasty.  What's more I am also a big fan of sesame seeds so of course I had to give this recipe a try.  I was also curious of how it would taste like.



I gave it a bite to let you see the texture inside of this cake.  It tasted like nian gao, since it was made of glutinous rice flour I guess.  Slightly chewy and not bad at all.  Mine was not sweet enough, I would prefer it to be sweeter.





Remember to pan-frying it in low heat pan so that you won't burn the sesame seeds.  Sesame seeds burn easily in high heat.

Before pan-frying



Method:

Pumpkin,  cut the skin off, cut into half, seeded and save the seed to roast.
Cut pumpkin into slices.  Steam for 30 minutes or until soften.  Mash with a fork. Squeeze out the juice. Mix in some brown sugar, stir well.  Then add some glutinous rice flour until a dough is formed.  In a plate, spread out the white sesame seeds.  Roll the dough into a cylinder shape, cut and slightly roll it flat with your hand.  Coat both sides with sesame seeds.  Pan fry in low heat until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towel.  Serve.

2 cups smashed pumpkin , 3/4 cup (less sweet)  to 1 cup of brown sugar (sweet).  I only used 1/2 cup of brown sugar and it was not sweet at all.  I think the original recipe was made without adding any sugar.


20 comments:

Belinda @zomppa said...

Whoa. Never knew pumpkin could go inside. They're adorable.

Zoe said...

Look really chewy inside...yummy :D

tigerfish said...

The last photo....looks like nian gao! ;)

Food For Tots said...

Pumpkin and sesame are my favourite. These cakes look so yummy! I love chewy texture. Must give it a try soon.

emy said...

Looks extremely delicious and easy to make!

Thanks for sharing!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

WOW, this sound really good, must try one day.

Unknown said...

I love this recipe. It looks great.

art is in the kitchen said...

Wow! i just love this. I have made the same snack but with sweet potato. I've got to try it with pumpkin. excellent idea! Thanks for sharing!

ICook4Fun said...

I like chewy kuih and with pumpkin it is even better :)

Rob said...

whenever I knead mashed pumpkin or sweet potato into a glutinous rice flour dough, it's taste is overpowered by the glutinous rice flour (nian-gao like) taste, haha so I think the only point of doing so is for the natural orange colour it gives the dough.

Blessed Homemaker said...

I love pumpkin, going to try this one day.

Little Corner of Mine said...

Thanks Belinda. :)

Yes Zoe. Pretty good snack!

Haha Tigerfish. I agreed. ;)

F4T, why not, pretty easy to make really. But kinda oily, so drain properly on paper towel.

You're welcome emy.

Thanks Sonia.

Thanks Joy.

You're welcome michelangelo.

Thanks Gert.

I agreed Rob, couldn't really taste the pumpkin.

Sure Blessed Homemaker.

Baking Fiend said...

This looks like something that I would love eating too. Thanks for sharing!

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Ahhh, my kind of snack. This is great, esp coated with yummy sesame seeds!

Min@HonestVanilla said...

Oh I'd definitely try this out! But how much glutinous rice flour is needed? I think you missed out the amount in the recipe

Little Corner of Mine said...

Min, I didn't leave it out. The amount of the glutinous rice flour needed is depended on how wet your mashed pumpkin is. You just mix little by little until a dough is formed. Which mean you can knead it and shape it then it's done.

daphne said...

what a great snack!! so tempted to give it a go too.. it really looks like a snack that i will like. Pumpkin and sesame! Yum! it also reminds me of mochi but flat!

pei wei said...

It looks so good! How long does it keep without refrigerating?

Little Corner of Mine said...

Pei Wei, I have no idea really, I guess within 3 days.

Anonymous said...

Use sweetened condensed milk for dipping sauce.