Making Soft and Unique Water Fern Cakes with Tapioca Flour - Mytour

Tapioca flour can create various delicious and enticing cakes, including the traditional water fern cake. This dish is not only tasty but also easy to make. Do you know how to

1. Introduction to Water Fern Cakes with Tapioca Flour

Water fern cakes have been a part of Vietnamese cuisine for a long time and have become familiar to the people. The cake features a chewy outer layer, fragrant sweetness, and is complemented with a touch of ginger water, shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, and sesame seeds, providing a perfect flavor combination. Water fern cakes are often enjoyed during the Hàn Thực festival, but due to their allure, they have become a daily favorite, appealing to both young and old alike.

Typically, people craft mochi balls with glutinous rice flour. However, with Mytour's incredibly simple method of making water-based mochi using tapioca starch, you can now enjoy a plate of mochi with a unique and distinctive flavor that not everyone knows about. 

Photo: Collection

2. Step-by-step guide on making water-based mochi with tapioca starch

It only takes 45 minutes, and with the simple steps below, you can complete this delicious and nutritious water-based mochi easily. 

Prepare the ingredients

• Tapioca starch 400g
• Unpeeled mung beans 200g
• White sugar 400g
• Sesame seeds, coconut flakes, ginger

Execution steps

Step 1 Knead the dough: First, pour the tapioca starch into a large, clean bowl and boil water. Then, slowly pour the boiling water into the flour bowl and mix it thoroughly by hand to avoid lumps. Next, knead the dough thoroughly by hand because the more you knead, the more elastic and sticky the dough will be. Knead until you try squeezing and the dough is no longer sticky to touch.

Photo: Collected

Step 2 Make the filling: You take another bowl and soak the unpeeled mung beans in warm water to soften them quickly. Next, take a moderately sized and clean pot, steam the mung beans until cooked, mash them, and finally mix with white sugar, then season the sweetness to your taste to make the filling for mochi balls.

Step 3 Make the ginger syrup: Ginger syrup is considered the “soul” of water-based mochi because the sweet taste of sugar, the mild spiciness, and the warm richness of ginger blend with the mochi dough and filling to create a harmonious and special flavor.

Making ginger syrup is easy. First, clean the ginger, crush or cut it into thin slices according to your preference. Then, pour 500ml of water along with apricot blossom honey or cane sugar and ginger into a pot and bring to a boil. Note, when boiling, keep the heat low, stir to dissolve the sugar quickly. After that, add a little salt to the sugar mixture to enhance the flavor. When the pot boils and the aroma of ginger spreads, turn off the heat. There you have completed making the fragrant ginger syrup.

Step 4 Shape the water-based mochi:After preparing the mochi dough and mung bean filling, we move on to the step of shaping the water-based mochi. Shaping mochi with tapioca starch is similar to shaping mochi with glutinous rice flour. 

First, divide the tapioca starch into small portions, flatten the dough with your hands, create a hollow, then scoop a small spoon of mung beans and place it in the center, while folding the edges of the mochi to enclose the filling. Finally, use your hands to round the mochi for an appealing appearance. 

Photo: Collection

Step 5 Cook the mochi:Boil a pot of water until it boils, then reduce the heat, add the mochi and cook until done. When the mochi floats, cook for another 2 minutes, then use a ladle to transfer it to a clean water bowl to prevent sticking.Heat the ginger syrup pot and transfer the mochi from the bowl. When serving, scoop the mochi with ginger syrup into a bowl, sprinkle with a bit of grated coconut, sesame seeds, and dried coconut, ensuring you'll remember this flavor forever.

Photo: @eating_rate

3. Achieved Results 

When cooked, the mochi has a white color, with a chewy outer layer blending well with the fragrant and perfectly balanced ginger syrup. The ginger syrup has a golden brown color, a delightful ginger flavor, and the freshness of coconut. Taking a bite of mochi, followed by a sip of ginger syrup, ensures an addictive experience. This hot and fragrant mochi is perfect for enjoying on chilly days.

Photo: Collection

4. Tips for Making Irresistible Water Mochi with Tapioca Starch

• When boiling the mochi, add thin slices of ginger and a little vinegar to make the mochi skin soft and not tough.
• When kneading the dough, pour water slowly and knead at the same time to prevent the dough from becoming sticky. After kneading, wrap the dough with food wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and gently drop each mochi ball to avoid breaking the mochi while the filling inside is not cooked.
• When the mochi is cooked, immediately scoop it out and soak it in a bowl of cold water for about 5 to 10 minutes to make the mochi firm and not stick together.

With the easy method of making water mochi with tapioca starch that Mytour Blog just shared above, you can impress your visitors. Remember to save this incredibly simple recipe. Good luck with this delicious and sweet dish.

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