煎番薯 Fried Sweet Potato

番薯、俗称地瓜，除了煮番薯汤水，几乎没其他煮法。

在这物资丰富、应有尽有的年代，苦心莲的地瓜饭成了养生餐。吾思其味、便闻其臭，敬而远之。

于是，想起了番薯片。

先屑皮，切片。薯片可厚可薄。锅加热，下牛油。以慢火慢煎薯片。一边熟后，反另一边。熟了即可。

入口干燥。佐以咖啡。

Fried Nián Gāo 煎番薯年糕

Nián gāo ( 年糕 ) is a pastry prepared from glutinous rice flour and a lot of sugar, traditionally associated with Chinese New Year.  

The sticky sweet snack was believed to be an offering to the Kitchen God, when after eating the cake, his mouth will be stuck, and thus cannot badmouth the family in front of the Jade Emperor.

Nián gāo, when freshly steam, is soft and sticky.  It can be stored for months, only get moldy if properly kept.  By then, it become so hard to consume.  

Still edible, the aged nián gāo need to be cleaned of the mold, then cut to discard a bit of the outer layer.  It is then cut into pieces of about 5mm thick.  Together with sweet potato and yam, it is deep-fried coated with batter.

Best served hot with kopi-o.

step 1 : cut nián gāo and sweet potato

 step 2 : coat with batter, fry in shallow oil

step 3 : first the nián gāo side, then flip over to sweet potato

step 4 : drain the oil