I am a huge lover of many regions of Chinese cuisines and have learned a thing or two about their cooking methodologies. Glutinous rice flour, common in Chinese and Japanese cooking and, to a lesser degree, in Indian cuisine is often used in mochi and sometimes in making savory pancakes. It’s hard to find in mainstream grocery stores, but worth the drive to Chinatown to take in all the other sights and smells. Considered a prebiotic, sweet rice flour, as it is also called, is a good source of zinc, fiber and other vitamins. Always wanting to balance sweet with savory and spicy, try this sweet potato cake recipe — it makes a delicious breakfast with lots of herbed yogurt, poached egg on side.
Makes 8 to 10 slices
ingredients
Sweet Potato Savory Cake
100 grams (7/8 cup) glutinous rice flour
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
550 grams (2 large) sweet potatoes, boiled or roasted, peeled
1 whole serrano pepper, minced (optional)
100 grams (1/2 cup) olive oil
2 large eggs
60 grams (1/4 cup) plain yogurt, whole or non-fat
Pumpkin for sprinkling on top
Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top
Herb Yogurt
2 cups plain yogurt, full or nonfat
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 to 5 sliced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cup herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme or sage)
instructions
For Sweet Potato Savory Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 to 9-inch cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
Combine rice flour with turmeric, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, mix the sweet potato, serrano (if using), olive oil and eggs until smooth and evenly mixed.
Add the dry ingredients followed by the plain yogurt and mix until even.
Pour into the greased cake pan. Sprinkle with pumpkin and sesame seeds until almost all the surface is covered.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool for 2 to 3 hours before serving. It’s best served at room temperature.
For Herb Yogurt:
Whisk the yogurt with salt and pepper into a serving bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, and when it is just shy of smoking, add the sliced garlic and turn the heat to low. Let the garlic turn golden at the edges then add the coriander seeds. They will pop and sizzle; immediately turn the heat off.
Let the oil cool for 5 to 10 minutes then add the chopped herbs and drizzle over the yogurt before serving.
notes & variations
The cake will rise toward the end of baking and will deflate a bit. The consistency will be dense yet delicious.
The same batter can also be cooked as pancakes on a skillet.
The flavors of this cake/yogurt are strong and assertive — leave out the serrano in the cake and reduce or omit the coriander seeds in the yogurt for mellow flavors.
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