How to Make Delicious and Simple Sticky Rice Cakes with Taro Filling and Cassava

How to prepare Cassava Cake with Taro Filling

• 1

  Prepare the ingredients

  After peeling the cassava, cut it into small pieces and then dice it. Next, put the cassava into a bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and soak for about 30 minutes.

  How to prepare cassava to reduce toxicity:

  • The outer skin of cassava often contains toxins, so it’s best to prepare the cassava a day before making the cake!
  • Soaking cassava in a little salt helps prevent browning and reduces toxins.
  • During the soaking process, you must frequently change the water.

  For the taro, peel the outer skin, then soak it in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes and drain. Next, cut the taro into small square pieces.

  Rinse the sticky rice with water to clean it, then put it in a bowl to soak with 500ml of pandan leaf water and 1 teaspoon of salt mixed well; let the rice soak for about 3 hours.

  Tips to clean taro without itching:

  • Method 1: When buying taro, do not wash it first but leave it whole and use dry hands to peel the skin and soak it in diluted salt water immediately after peeling to remove the itchy substance.
  • Method 2: Use nylon gloves or cloth gloves when preparing taro to limit contact with the itchy substance. However, this method makes it harder to grip and takes more time to peel.
  • Method 3: Wrap the taro in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for about 2 – 3 minutes to allow the sap to flow out.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the taro and coconut filling

  Put the taro into a steamer placed on the stove, steam for about 20 minutes until cooked.

  After that, take the taro out and put it in a pan, use a flat spatula to mash the taro with 50ml of water and proceed to stir-fry the filling over medium heat.

  Season the taro with 1 teaspoon of salt, 50g of sugar, mix well to combine the taro and seasoning.

  Next, put 30g of dried coconut into a bowl along with 50ml of water and soak for about 20 minutes to let the coconut expand.

  Then drain the water and take the coconut meat into the taro pan, stir quickly and add another 50g of sugar.

  Continue to stir well until the filling thickens, then turn off the heat and let it cool.

  Tip: While frying the filling, you should stir quickly and continuously to prevent it from burning.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Mixing the dough

  After soaking the rice, drain it in a basket. Wash the cassava to clean it and then let it drain.

  Next, put the sticky rice and cassava into a large basket and mix them well, then add 1 teaspoon of salt.

  Mix well and then transfer the sticky rice and cassava mixture to a large bowl and mix thoroughly with 60g of grated coconut and 30g of sugar.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Wrapping the cake

  After cooling, divide the taro filling evenly and roll it into balls, each ball weighing about 30g.

  Divide the sticky rice mixture evenly into bowls, each bowl containing about 90g of the sticky rice and cassava mixture.

  Layer 2 banana leaves on top of each other, fold the edges of the leaves, then wrap the leaves into a funnel shape. Place 2 tablespoons of sticky rice at the bottom to create a small hole, then put the taro filling in the center and add the remaining sticky rice on top.

  Fold the remaining edges of the leaves and use string to tie each corner of the cake tightly. Continue wrapping until all the bowls of sticky rice are used up.

  How to prepare banana leaves and tying string

  • Prepare banana leaves by tearing them into pieces approximately 15cm x 25cm, clean the leaves, then blanch them in boiling water briefly to soften, remove the leaves and dry them with a clean towel.
  • The tying string used for wrapping the cake is dried banana string available at supermarkets. Buy the tying string, blanch it briefly in water twice, then dry it again; at this point, the string will be softer and stronger.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Boiling the cake

  Use a few banana leaves to line the bottom of the pot, then place the cake in the pot and pour enough water to cover the cake, cover with a lid. Place the pot on the stove and boil for about 2 hours until the cake is cooked.

  

  
• 6

  Final product

  The cassava cake with taro filling has a chewy exterior thanks to the cassava and releases the fragrant aroma of pandan leaves, with a creamy and sweet taro filling that is very appealing.