马蹄糕 Water Chestnut Cake

[Ho Kwok Leung]

马蹄糕
马蹄即荸荠，将其磨成淀粉后，可制多种小吃，而以马蹄糕最为闻名。

食材
马蹄粉600克，
白糖700克，
冰片糖500克，
植物油少许。

烹飪方法
1.
将马蹄粉放在盆里，加清水250克，揉匀，捏开粉粒，再加入清水1250克，拌成粉浆，用纱布过滤，放在桶内。
2.
将白糖、冰片糖加清水1000克煮至溶解，用纱布过滤，再行煮沸，冲入粉浆中。冲时，要随冲随搅，冲完后仍要搅拌会，使它均匀而且有韧性，成半生半熟的糊浆（糊浆生熟度要适中，太生，淀粉沉底，面稀；太熟，糕身起眼，质霉)。
3.
取方盘一个，轻抹一层油，将糊浆倒入，放置蒸笼上。旺火烧沸水锅，放入蒸笼用中火蒸20分钟即成。蒸时火候要适度，火过大，中间未熟，表层溢泻；火过小，表层外溢，糕起蜂巢，影响质量。
4.
待糕冷却后，切成块，适宜凉食。如用油煎热食，也别具风味。

【特点】
色泽浅黄、透明，质地爽韧软滑。

**Water Chestnut Cake**
Water chestnut, also known as "matai" (Chinese: 马蹄), is ground into starch to create various snacks, with Water Chestnut Cake being the most iconic.

**Ingredients**
- 600g water chestnut starch
- 700g granulated sugar
- 500g yellow rock sugar (冰片糖)
- A small amount of vegetable oil

**Instructions**
1. **Prepare the batter**:
- In a bowl, combine water chestnut starch with 250ml water. Knead until smooth, breaking up any clumps.
- Gradually add another 1250ml water while stirring to form a smooth slurry. Strain through a cheesecloth into a clean container.

2. **Cook the syrup**:
- In a pot, dissolve granulated sugar and rock sugar in 1000ml water over low heat. Strain the syrup and bring it to a boil again.
- **Key step**: Slowly pour the hot syrup into the starch slurry while stirring vigorously. Continue mixing until the batter thickens into a semi-cooked, elastic consistency.
*Tip: The batter should be neither too raw (causing starch to settle) nor overcooked (resulting in a lumpy texture).*

3. **Steam the cake**:
- Lightly grease a square pan with oil. Pour in the batter and place it in a steamer.
- Steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
*Note: Maintain steady heat—too high, and the cake will undercook in the center; too low, and the surface will develop uneven pores.*

4. **Serve**:
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing. Enjoy chilled for a refreshing treat.
- Alternatively, pan-fry slices in oil until lightly crispy for a warm, aromatic variation.

**Features**
Pale golden and translucent in appearance, with a springy yet tender texture. Delicate sweetness balanced by the subtle earthy aroma of water chestnut.

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