Ingredient Glossary with Photographs

You can find on this page of the Ingredient Glossary information, photographs and tips for Yam.

Check out more ingredients under the main glossary list.

Yam is also known as Taro, Yu Tou (Mandarin) and Orr (Dialect). I notice that the name "Yam" is used in different countries for different food items. Thus, to clarify, the Yam that I am referring to in this website is the type with dark rough skin, white flesh and purple colour pigments like the ones below.

ingredient - yam (taro)

Chinese uses Yam in hot pot (e.g. hot pot fish soup), fried rice and meat dishes as they help to add fragrance to the food.

It is also used in making desserts (e.g. Yam Paste & Gingko Nuts) and snacks (e.g. Yam Bao and Yam Puff).

Yam paste is soft, creamy and light purple in colour. It is also used to make a Chinese Hakka dish called Yam Abacus (Suan Pan Zi).

Yam is available in many different sizes, from 5cm diameter for baby yam to 15cm or more for big yam. The one in the above picture is about 10cm in diameter and has a fresh joint (see top, left side).

yam flesh

To prepare Yam for cooking, you need to scrub and skin it before you cut the flesh into the desired sizes for your recipes.

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SBI!