Mainland Southeast Asia · Volume 61, The Dry Bowl, the Ash Noodle and the Jar Drunk Through a Reed
Sakaya
The Cham of Ninh Thuận
Illustration
- Researched
- Researched from 50 sources in the brief
The guest cake of the Cham calendar, as state radio's mountain service gives it with its Cham name: large fresh duck eggs beaten smooth with sugar, peanuts broken to thirds or quarters and ginger stirred in, steamed in small bowls in a water bath over gentle heat for about ten minutes. No count of eggs and no weight of sugar is in the radio piece.
As tradition built it
Makes a tray of small bowls.
Ingredients
The tradition's method, with the ingredients named. Quantities follow as we verify them.
- duck eggs, large and fresh
- sugar
- roasted peanuts, broken to thirds or quarters
- ginger, minced
Method
- Beat the eggs and sugar until smooth.
- Stir in the peanuts and the ginger.
- Pour into small bowls and steam them in a water bath over gentle heat for about 10 minutes, until just set.
What a modern chef changes
The set judged by temperature, the ginger made to count
Rung 4
Method
- Steam at 85 degrees in a combi or a covered bain marie until the centre reads 80, which is a custard just set and not a rubber one.
- Infuse the ginger in the beaten egg an hour before steaming and strain half of it out, leaving the mince for texture.
- Toast the peanuts to a deep gold and break them by hand, not in a blade; the size is the cake's bite.
- Serve warm, in the bowl; it is a guest cake and not a plated dessert.