These are a far cry from the cakes we’re used to in this country. I could not imagine sticking a candle in and presenting this to anybody as a birthday offering. They’d have to really like root vegetables.
Taro is a root vegetable that most people in this country know only from healthy chips. They’re often used as a substitute for potatoes. You know, for those days you happen to have lots of taro roots on hand but can’t find a single potato.
Taro cakes are a traditional Chinese dish often served at dim sum. Funny enough, we had a dim sum brunch this morning at Jing Fong, but didn’t get any taro cakes. We saved our appetites for the Golden Fung Bakery, where tourists and locals graze over their Chinese pastry selection. We came specifically for this cheap savory snack. It only cost 75 cents. You can barely buy a whole potato, let alone a prepared TONY list item for that price.
The cake is made with rice flour, which explains its unusual texture. It’s very soft and chewy, while being completely gluten free. For those with celiac, make sure you ask first (you may want to bring a Chinese translator). While it seems free of gluten to me, I don’t want to be held responsible for any problems.
Whether bready or not, this was a satisfying little treat. A wide range of flavors was absent, but the words nutty, salty, and earthy come to mind. This little treat was all about the textures. The rich, starchy taro; the gelatinous rice flour patty; and the crunchy, meaty pork and shrimp bits all added to the texture party.
And while I want something sweeter and more scrumptious for my birthday cake, these taro versions are a cheap and quick afternoon snack. And along with dumplings and pork buns, you can have a DIY dim sum for less than a few bucks in the little shops in Chinatown. Sorry Jing Fong.
Would New Golden Fung Wong Bakery’s Taro Cakes make my Top 100 of the year? 6 out of 10 for an unusual and savory snack with a nice range of textures, but rather bland and boring flavors.
Your opening paragraph, honestly, had me chuckling at my desk. (Thank goodness I work alone!)
From what I’ve found, the cakes are usually gluten-free but the toppings/additions are often not safe thanks to traditional soy sauce or other non-gf ingredients. It never hurts to ask, though.
As soon as I saw the picture, I remembered the, um, unique texture of these treats! 😉
Thanks, Elizabeth. I wasn’t quite sure if they were truly gluten free or not. Thanks for clearing that up.