Yongding Bamboo Shoot Cake

Yongding Bamboo Shoot Cake

　　Bamboo shoot cake (as called by people in Xiayang), also known as nie jia (in Hakka) by those from Gaopi and Kanshi. Also referred to as stuffed cake or wrapped cake, its preparation includes two main parts: the wrapper and the filling. The wrapper is made from rice flour, potato starch, etc. For bamboo shoot cake, the wrapper uses potato starch as the base, kneaded with boiling water and mixed with an appropriate amount of cooked taro or sweet potato to form thin, round pieces; the filling is primarily made of semi-fatty, high-quality pork and bamboo shoots (preferably moso bamboo shoots or winter bamboo shoots), finely chopped, then combined with dried shrimp, shredded squid, mushrooms, pepper, salt, and other seasonings. The filling is then wrapped in the wrapper, sealed securely into a half-moon shape, and either steamed in boiling water or pan-fried until cooked, ready to be served with condiments.