Chinese pumpkin cakes with toasted sesame

Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, these flat cakes are popular street food in China. They are traditionally deep-fried, but Connie Cao shows that they can also be pan-fried (for an easier-to-clean-up alternative). Filled with red bean paste, they are also dairy-free and vegan.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  12

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 400 g pumpkin (Japanese, Kent or butternut)
• 2 cups glutinous rice flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¾ cup (190 g) red bean paste
• ⅓ cup (50 g) sesame seeds (white or black)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Peel the pumpkin, then cut into 2-3 cm cubes. Place into a steamer and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft.
2. Transfer the pumpkin into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork, until smooth. Add the glutinous rice flour and sugar and mix until a dough forms. Knead the dough, then roll out into a long baguette shape.
3. Evenly divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then shape into a shallow bowl. Fill the indentation with 2 tsp red bean paste, then fold the edges and pinch to close. Place on a bench, seam-side down, and gently press into a 1 cm thick flattened round. Repeat with remaining dough and red bean paste.
4. Brush the tops of each cake with water, then press the damp side into a bowl of sesame seeds. Place the prepared cakes onto a plate, ready to cook.
5. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add six cakes to the pan, sesame seed side up. Cook for 4 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the cakes and cook for a further 4 minutes. The cakes may bulge in the centre during the cooking process – this means they’re ready. Transfer the cakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and cakes.
6. These can be served hot or cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be warmed in the microwave.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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