Oh Nee - Teochew Taro (Yam) Pudding

(Chinese - Teochew, My grandmother, Mdm Tan Sai Lang's recipe)

What do you need : 

Like other dishes, there are several ways to make oh nee.  Some call for deep frying the cubed taro pieces, while others like grandma prefers steaming.  You may try either way of treating the taro for it tastes equally good.  Just remember, the secret of good oh nee is good taro, lots of shallots, oil and sugar which makes it a fantastically �sinful� dessert.

Remove the skin of the taro, and cut into chunks of 1cm thickness.  Steam the taro till well-cooked.  It should be soft when poked with a fork.  That will take approximately 15 minutes.  Then mash the taro as you will with a fork.  Heat your pan with 2/3 cup of oil.  Lots of oil is essential to fry the taro.  Add in the chopped shallots and fry till fragrant and lightly brown.  On a low-medium heat, add the taro, pandan leaves and sugar.  Fry till fragrant for about 5 minutes, then add in a cup of water. Stir and let it cook for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Switch off the fire and remove all pandan leaves

It is quite lovely now eaten with the cooked gingko nuts, and the crunchy shallots.  But if you desire the paste-like quality that you get in restaurants, use a blender to blend the taro mixture into a paste before you add in the gingko nuts.  Either ways, it is an enjoyable treat.  If you are not worried about fats and calories, do try frying the shallot and taro in lard, which is grandma�s original recipe.  As the secret of good oh nee is in the oil, a lard-laden oh nee will be heavenly.

Gingko Nut Syrup

You may buy vacuum-packed cooked gingko nuts from the market.  But I highly recommend using fresh nuts that are sold with their shells, as they are much superior in taste.  Shelling the nuts and preparing them is undoubtedly time-consuming, but you and your guests will be much rewarded with a fragrant nutty syrup. 

Mum shared with me this gingko nut syrup recipe which can be prepared in advance and scooped on to the oh nee when ready to serve.

Shell a handful of gingko nuts, then boil it for 10 minutes in hot water.  Remove the flimsy coating of brown skin, halve it, and remove the bitter stem.  In a pan of boiling water (about 1 cup), add in the sugar (to taste - it should be sweet), pandan leaves and gingko nuts.  Allow it to simmer for 30 minutes � 45 minutes, till the gingko nuts are soft, and the liquid a sweet syrup.  Put aside to chill till ready to serve.

www.singaporefoodhistory.com / Copyright 2005 by Ai Ling Sim-Devadas