Water Chestnut Cake (Chinese New Year Recipe)

Water chestnut cake is a well-known Cantonese dim sum dish, almost served at every yum cha restaurant in Hong Kong. When Chinese New Year comes, Hong Kong people like to make their own different kind of cakes (糕), like radish cake (aka turnip cake), taro cake, sticky rice cake to celebrate the season.

Needless to say, this water chestnut cake is one of Hong Kong people’s favourites. “Cake” (糕) pronounces as “high” in Cantonese, Chinese, that resembles a meaning of “rising”, ” growth”, “achieving higher level”, a symbol of prosperity and rising fortunes.

The translucent appearance and tender texture of this water chestnut cake are remarkable, appealing to eyes and taste buds.

This is the water chestnut flour that I used. Every time it won't let me down to create the texture I like.

Water Chestnut powder that I used.

Brown sugar slab is often used to make Chinese dessert. It's made from unrefined cane sugar and gives you fabulous aroma and complex flavor. So I often use brown sugar slab instead of white or raw sugar when it comes to making this traditional Chinese snack.

If you are lucky to get some fresh water chestnuts to make this cake, you'll find the crunch vegetable mingled inside will be an enjoyment.

Water Chestnut Cake Recipe

(Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Yield: one square pan 15.4cm x 5cm (depth)

Ingredients:

• 600 ml water
• 100 gm water chestnut flour (Pan Tang Guangzhou 廣州泮塘特產)
• 2 tsp / about 6 gm cornflour / corn starch
• 2 tsp oil
• 50 gm white sugar
• 50 gm brown sugar slab (冰片糖), finely chopped
• 8 water chestnuts, fresh, frozen or canned, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Grease the pan with a little of oil in order to help remove the cake from it at ease.
2. Dissolve the water chestnut flour with 300 ml of water and cornflour completely. Drain through a fine sieve. Stir in 2 teaspoons of oil. Set aside.
3. Put the other 300 ml of water, together with white sugar, chopped brown sugar into a deep pot. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring it to boil. Add the water chestnuts. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the dissolved water chestnut flour mixture. Immediately stir to combine well into a thick but smooth batter. Make sure not to let the batter stick to the bottom.
4. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Use a teaspoon, wet with some water, to level the surface. Cover with foil and steam in a wok or steamer, for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake turns translucent, or an inserted needle comes out clean. Remove from the wok and let cool a bit. Remove the cake from pan and slice into pieces. Serve warm immediately. Or pan fry slices before serving. The leftover can be kept in fridge, covered, for up to a week or so.

Notes：

• The chilled water chestnut cake will turn a bit harder and opaque. When it’s reheated, it turns to be soft and translucent again.
• The cornflour can help produce better and firmer texture to hold it shape nicely.
• If you like the cake darker in colour, you can replace the white sugar with brown sugar slab. Or if you like your cake looks in a white colour, use all white sugar then.
• I followed my mother-in-law's advice and used the Pan Tang Guangzhou's water chestnut flour. She said it's the best to make this cake.