Ingredients
400 g Chinese yam (about 14 oz), 50 g egg whites (about 2 large egg whites), 25 g ground cardamom.
Seasonings
20 g each of jianqu liquid, wet cornstarch slurry, and white sugar, 15 g of light caramel coloring, 4 g each of fine salt and sesame oil, and 1 g of MSG.
Instructions
1. Peel the Chinese yam, steam until tender, then mash into a paste. Combine the yam paste with wet starch in a bowl, then add egg whites, salt, sesame oil, MSG, and sugar, mixing well to form the yam mixture.
2. Take 1/10 of the yam mixture, add light caramel coloring, mix well, and spread it into an oiled metal pan. Steam until firm, then remove—this forms the "skin." Place 3/10 of the yam mixture on top of the skin, spread it flat, steam for 10 minutes, and remove from the steamer—this forms the "fat layer."
3. Add the remaining Chinese yam mixture with the sand kernel powder and fermented rice juice, stir well with sesame oil, spread it over the "fat layer," then steam again for 35 minutes, let cool, brush with sesame oil, slice, and serve. This dish features a beautiful red-and-white contrast, with a sweet, tender, and delicate texture that looks remarkably realistic.