Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Teochew Orh Nee Taro Paste
潮州芋泥
Recipe overview
Steamed taro and a little pumpkin are pressed smooth, loosened gradually with pandan syrup, and stirred slowly with oil until glossy. Lightly salted coconut cream finishes this family-friendly Orh Nee without whole ginkgo nuts.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g taro, peeled weight
- 150 g pumpkin, peeled and seeded
- 180 ml water
- 200 ml coconut milk
Sauce seasoning
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 1 leaf pandan leaf, tied in a knot
Cooking fat
- 3 tbsp neutral oil or lard
Slurry
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 pinch fine salt
02
Tools
- Peeler and chef's knife
- Chopping board
- Kitchen scale and measuring jug
- Steamer with rack
- Heatproof plate
- Potato masher or fork
- Fine sieve
- Heavy saucepan
- Wooden spatula
- Small saucepan and whisk
- Four dessert bowls
03
Steps
Step 1
Cut the taro and pumpkin
Wear gloves to peel the taro and cut it into 2 cm-thick slices; cut the pumpkin to the same thickness and lay both separately without stacking.
Step 2
Preheat the steamer
Bring enough water to a full boil under the steaming rack; the water must not touch the heatproof plate and should last about 25 minutes.
Step 3
Steam until tender
Steam the taro covered for 15 minutes, add the pumpkin, then steam both for another 8 to 10 minutes until a chopstick slides through the taro centre.
Step 4
Mash while hot
Tip the hot taro and pumpkin into a large bowl and mash repeatedly, scraping the bottom and sides so no firm pieces remain.
Step 5
Press through a sieve
Push the warm mash through a fine sieve in small batches and scrape its underside; the collected paste should be smooth, even, and free of fibres.
Step 6
Cook the pandan syrup
Combine 180 ml water, sugar, and knotted pandan in a small pan; heat until dissolved, simmer for 1 minute, then remove the pandan.
Step 7
Loosen the paste gradually
Mix the hot syrup into the sieved taro in three additions, fully absorbing each one before the next, until the paste flows very slowly.
Step 8
Stir slowly with oil
Warm the oil in a heavy pan over medium-low, add the paste, and continuously scrape and fold it for 8 to 10 minutes so the base cannot scorch.
Step 9
Stop when glossy
Remove from the heat when the paste is glossy, briefly exposes the pan after each stroke, and folds softly as one mass; do not cook until cracked.
Step 10
Mix the coconut topping
In a cold small pan, whisk coconut milk with the cornstarch-water slurry and a pinch of salt until no white starch specks remain.
Step 11
Thicken gently
Heat the coconut mixture over low while whisking for 2 to 3 minutes, just until it lightly coats the whisk; do not boil or let the fat separate.
Step 12
Portion and finish
Divide the warm taro paste among four bowls, smooth the tops, and spoon over the salted coconut cream; cool until comfortable before serving.
Common mistakes
- Undercooked taro leaves hard pieces that later stirring cannot repair.
- Adding all the syrup at once creates lumps and an uneven, watery paste.
- High heat or paused stirring scorches the sugary paste quickly and makes it bitter.
- Boiling coconut milk separates its fat; stop as soon as it is lightly thickened.
Tips
Wear gloves for raw taro to avoid skin irritation, and test texture only after steaming.
Taro varies in moisture, so add the final 30 ml syrup slowly only if the paste needs it.
For elderly diners, sieve twice and loosen with a little warm coconut milk to an easy-swallow consistency.
