Talam Ubi (Steamed Sweet Potato Cake With Coconut Milk Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves)

Ever since I got a Asian style steamer, I have been trying out so many Asian treat, especially kue from Indonesia and Malaysia. They are  many kue that I haven't tried to make, but first thing first I really wanted to make kue Talam Ubi (sweet potato).  I was quite pleased when I found Belzy's recipe. Only one trial, and I found myself already made a second batch, it was that delicious. Thanks Belzy!

Belzy's recipe is pretty straight forward and easy to follow. The recipe is in Indonesian language, so if you really like to make it, you can either find someone to translate it, use google translation, or you can use my adaptation. Don't worry, I used the exact measurement given in the recipe, but added a few touch of my own. For example, she uses plain coconut milk in her recipe, but mine is flavored with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Another unintentionally changes I made was, rice flour, and sago flour. For rice flour I substituted with sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour for sago flour. Resulting a slightly chewier then using regular rice flour. So here is my adaptation from Belzy's Talam Ubi. 

Talam Ubi (Steamed Sweet Potato Cake With Coconut Milk, Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves)

Recipe adapted from Belzy's Talam Ubi

Makes 1 - 9-inch kue

Bottom Layer

300 g sweet potato, steamed-cooled, then mashed

225 g sugar

300 cc (about 1 1/4 cups) coconut milk

70 g tapioca flour

35 g sweet rice flour (I used Michiko brand)

1/2 tsp salt

Top Layer

300 cc coconut milk

100 g tapioca flour

20 g sweet rice flour

1/2 tsp salt, or according to your taste

Additional ingredients:

2 lemongrass, discard the outer layer, cut into pieces - bruised

5 kaffir lime leaves

Heat 600 cc coconut milk with lemongrass, and kaffir lime leave until you see bubbles just start to appear around the edge. Remove from the heat. Let steep until coconut milk is cool completely. Strain, and discard lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Place the steamer on top of the stove set over medium high heat. Place a 9-inch cake pan that has been lightly coated with oil inside the steamer, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together mashed sweet potato, sugar, tapioka, sweet rice flour, salt, and 300 cc cooled coconut milk. Pour into a cake pan, steam on a medium heat for 10 to 20 minutes, or until set.

In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 300 cc coconut milk, tapioka flour, sweet rice flour, and salt. Pour this mixture directly on top of the sweet potato layer. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes until top layer is set. Remove from the heat, and cool completely before cutting.

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