Yam Paste and Ginkgo Nuts Dessert Recipe

Yam paste with Ginkgo nuts is called "Bai Guo Yu Ni" in mandarin and "Orr Nee" in dialect. This sweet dessert is served at the end of some 8 to 10 course Chinese meals at Chinese restaurants.

Due to its popularity, it has found its way into dessert shops and even food courts nowadays.

Bai Guo Yu Ni is also popular at Chinese wedding dinners as it symbolises bringing sweetness to the wedding couple and "longevity" to their marriage.

This Chinese dessert is usually served in small portions to keep you craving for it. It can be quite a "turn off" if you take too much.

I like anything sweet, so this is one of my favourite Chinese desserts. I prefer to eat it plain without any coconut gravy as coconut is not very healthy.

See this yam recipe learnt from my chef Uncle. It is relatively easy as compared to the other version which requires pan frying (at least you can save some arm exercise).

500g Yam
A handful Ginkgo nuts
5 tablespoon Lard or Olive oil
Fine sugar

Cooking Direction:

Shell, skin and remove the shoots from the Ginkgo nuts. Add the prepared nuts to a small pot of water with 3 tbsp of sugar and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes to soften and sweeten the Ginkgo nuts.

Wash, skin and slice the yam. Steam for about 30 minutes until soft. Mash the yam into fine paste while still hot, using a big fork, masher or a fruit juice blender. Add 5 tablespoon of lard/olive oil and 90g of fine sugar to the paste and blend well.

Place ginkgo nuts and yam paste onto a steam tray and steam on high heat for another 30 minutes.

Serve hot.

Tips:

a. The yam paste is rather thick when done. If you prefer it to be thinner, you can add some coconut gravy (coconut milk boiled with some sugar and corn flour, sweetness and thickness adjusted to your liking), olive oil or hot water to it.

b. Traditionally, lard (oil made from pig fat) is used in this dessert recipe for a more fragrant smell. For convenience, you may replace it with olive oil or other cooking oil.

c. Remember to check the water level in the wok during steaming and refill it when low to prevent dry out.

d. A fruit juice blender is useful to help you obtain a finer paste. Add more lard/olive oil if the yam has difficulty moving in the blender.

We hope you like this yam recipe which is well loved by many Chinese, especially Teochews!

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