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Yam or taro is a root vegetable that I love to eat. There are quite many ways to make yam (taro)—sweet as in Bubur Cha Cha, sweet yam paste (or nee), or savory as in Yam Rice.
My late parents loved Yam Rice and I am glad that I’d acquired the liking for this dish. In my family, we almost never had yam rice at home so I didn’t know how to make yam rice until my mother-in-law came visit us a few years ago.
She taught me how to make this easy one-pot dish and now, I whip it up whenever I am lazy to cook.
In Penang, yam rice is often sold by Yong Tau Foo hawkers and it’s the very reason why I fell in love with it because I am a huge fan of Yong Tau Foo.
Imagine a bowl or two of aromatic yam rice to go with the different varieties of fish balls, fish paste stuffed inside tofu, chili, okra, and more; it’s simply delectable.
Here is my yam rice recipe. If you have an electric rice cooker at home, you will be able to make yam rice rather painlessly.
I also made some Yong Tau Foo which I will share the recipe with you soon. My friend Noobcook had just made her version of yam rice with Chinese BBQ pork (char siu), check it out.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 369 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Yam Rice
Ingredients
- 12 oz. yam/ taro, cut into small pieces
- 3-1/2 cup rice (measured using the smaller rice cup that comes with the electric rice cooker)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 shallots (finely chopped)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dried shrimp (soaked in warm water, drained and roughly chopped)
- 10 oz. ground pork or chicken meat, minced
- 2 cups water (using a regular measurement cup to measure the water)
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in warm water, drained and cut into thin slices)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- fried shallot crisp (for garnishing)
- 1 scallion (cut into small rounds, for garnishing)
Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Measure the rice using the small rice cooker cup (comes with electric rice cooker). Transfer the rice into your rice cooker and wash and rinse it with water like you are cooking regular steamed rice. Drain the water dry and set aside.
- Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. Stir-fry the shallots and garlic until aromatic. Add pork (or chicken), mushrooms and dried shrimp and stir-fry until the meat changes color. Use the spatula to break the ground pork or chicken, so they form into small lumps. Add water into the wok and follow by the yam pieces.
- Add all seasonings and bring it to boil. Add rice into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Transfer everything into the rice cooker and cook it like you are cooking steamed rice.
- When the rice is cooked, use the rice scoop to stir the yam rice and loosen it up. Serve immediately with some fried shallot crisps and chopped scallions.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
hi, want to check, no need to marinate the minced pork first? Thanks
No need.
Hi, I’m located in Asia. Is the rice cup the same as what we are using the one over here? That is 3.5 cup rice? Thanks in advance!
No, it’s a small rice cup.
Thank you so much! ? my hubby said it tastes great!
Awesome!
how much water to add to the ingredients into the rice cooker to cook?
Tried to cook this yesterday and it was really good and easy! I wonder if glutinous rice can be used in this recipe instead?
I just came across your website when I couldn’t find my friend for her yam rice recipe she cooked for me once. I must say that your recipe worked really great for me but I added 2 more tablespoons of thick dark soya sauce for color. I also remembered my friend had some Chinese sausages in it, so I just added to the ingredients and the clay pot of rice smelled heavenly when cooked. I used my clay pot to cook. The amount of water I used is the same as for the rice cooker. Instead of the step of transferring the rice and ingredients to the rice cooker, I just turned down the flame since it is already boiling, cover and let it simmer for 12 minutes. After turning off the flame at the 12min, I allowed the clay pot to do its magic, as it will continue to cook until all the heat is gone. Thank you, Bee, for sharing the recipe. Hope this comment helped those who want to use a clay pot.
Thanks for sharing your tips. :)
Nice of course and good for family food. But I prefer do it with grill ingredients made in Redmond 4502 multicooker, with it the meal can be served on holidays. It is very handy!
Hi, when i was in Daman Sara Malaysia a couple of years ago i sampled some delicious yam deserts. They were of pastel colours, small rectangular shape, made with yam, they were slightly sweet and chewy. Do you have a recipe for these please?
Hard to say without the name or picture.
Hello Abby,
I’m hazarding a guess that what you have describe is bubur cha cha. The pastel colours of orange, yellow and purple come from the sweet potatoes with their rectangular grey coloured yam buddies. All swimming in a soup of sweet, salty, creamy coconut milk.
Bee has a recipe in this site. Which I have made. And works great.
Can I use clay pot instead of rice cooker ?? Will there be changes in water measurement ??
hello i would like to try this recipe. i have a rice cooker but don’t have the cup. would you please tell me what is the volume of this small cup that you use? thank you