Chinese Carrot Rice Cake (Hu Luo Bo Gao - 胡萝卜糕)

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Grate the measured carrots (340 g) and ginger (14 g) and chop the scallions (113 g). Weigh the rice flour and cornstarch before beginning; the author recommends a kitchen scale for this recipe.

   Uses 14 g fresh ginger, grated · 340 g carrots, grated · 113 g scallions, chopped

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Heat the 2 tbsp wok oil until it just begins to smoke, then add the raw ground pork and sear for 30 seconds.

   Sear the ground pork · 1 minUses 2 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking the pork and carrots · 142 g raw 70% lean ground pork

3. 3

   Step 3: Reduce to medium heat and cook the pork through, until it is no longer pink and reaches 160°F/71°C. Add the grated ginger and stir for another 30 seconds.

   Stir the ginger into cooked pork · 1 minUses Seared pork with its wok oil · Prepared grated ginger

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Stir the grated carrots and Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp) into the cooked pork and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add 2 cups warm water from the cooking-water allowance and bring to a simmer.

   Stir-fry the carrots · 1 minUses Cooked pork and ginger with their wok oil · Prepared grated carrots · 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine · 2 cups warm water for the initial cooking phase

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Stir in the salt (7.5 g), white pepper (½ tsp) and sesame oil (5 g). Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped scallions, return just to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

   Simmer the carrot and pork mixture · 3 minUses Carrots and pork with their cooking liquid · 7.5 g salt · ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper · 5 g sesame oil · Prepared chopped scallions

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Scoop the cooked pork, carrots and scallions into a mixing bowl, leaving as much liquid as possible in the wok. Collect the remaining cooking liquid in a measuring jug. Measure 395 ml (the author’s 1⅔-cup batter measure), adding only enough water from the remaining cooking-water allowance to reach 395 ml if it is short. If more liquid was recovered, set the excess aside.

   Uses Cooked pork, carrots, scallions and their cooking liquid · Water from the remaining allowance, only if needed to reach 395 ml recovered batter liquid

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add the weighed rice flour (155 g) and cornstarch (12 g) to all the cooked carrot and pork solids. Mix in the measured 395 ml recovered liquid until smooth, with no visible flour lumps. Set the batter aside, then coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch glass loaf pan with the 2 tsp loaf-pan oil.

   Uses All recovered cooked carrot, pork and scallion solids · 155 g rice flour · 12 g cornstarch · Measured recovered batter liquid · 2 tsp vegetable oil for greasing the loaf pan

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Set a steaming rack in a steamer or wok large enough for the loaf pan. Add external steamer water below the pan, approximately 2–3 quarts or enough for 60 minutes of steaming, and bring it to a slow boil.

   Uses Water for the steamer, approximately 2–3 quarts or enough for 60 minutes without boiling dry

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir the batter again to remix any settled flour, then pour it into the greased loaf pan. Set the pan on the steaming rack, cover and steam over medium heat for 60 minutes. Check the external water level and add a little hot steamer top-up water if needed without wetting the batter. The cake is ready when a thin skewer or chopstick reaches the bottom easily and comes out without uncooked batter.

   Steam the carrot rice cake · 60 minUses Mixed carrot and pork rice-flour batter · Greased empty loaf pan · Prepared steaming rack and slowly boiling external water · Hot water to top up the external steamer only if needed

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Lift the cooked loaf pan onto a cooling rack and rest for 30 minutes. Any surface water from steaming should reabsorb into the cake during this rest.

    Rest the steamed cake · 30 minUses Cooked steamed carrot rice cake

11. 11

    Step 11: For serving now, loosen the rested loaf with a knife around the sides and turn it onto a cutting board. If saving it for later, promptly cover and refrigerate the cooled cake at 40°F/4°C or colder, then unmold when ready to fry.

    Uses Rested cooked carrot rice cake

12. 12

    Step 12: Cut the unmolded cake into slices about ½ inch thick. Oil a nonstick frying pan and pan-fry the selected slices until hot through and slightly crisp on the surfaces, turning as needed. If reheating a refrigerated cake, heat its centre to 165°F/74°C.

    Uses Unmolded cooked carrot rice cake selected for frying · Vegetable oil, enough to oil the pan for frying the selected cake slices

13. 13

    Step 13: Serve the hot pan-fried slices with optional ready oyster sauce and chili oil on the side. Keep any unfried cake covered and refrigerated.

    Uses Hot pan-fried carrot rice cake slices · Ready oyster sauce, to serve if desired · Ready chili oil, to serve if desired