Yam

Mini yams are the best kind of tuber!

There is something so comforting about yam. It is a humble root, less used than sweet potatoes and spuds, but it has such character and a lot more 'solid' feel when compared to the other tubers in the family. Perhaps it is the relative hassle of preparing yam that makes people use it less. For one, yams have a very thick outer skin which cannot be removed with a peeler. Stripping it off with a cleaver is the only way for the large yams which are used for yam baskets and the steamed yam cake (woo tau koh). The skin also has a slight irritant chemical which makes sensitive hands itch. Some people have also complained of having the skin on their hands flake after preparing yam. Add that to the fact that yams are possibly the root vegetable with the most dirt and fibre clinging to it, one can understand why people opt for potatoes.

Cooked yams have a pearly shimmer which are very pretty.

And yet, every year there comes a time when these miniature Chinese yams come into season. Usually to be found around the mooncake festival season, I was surprised to find bags on these in the night market. A bag of six cost RM2, and after I had steamed one bag and devoured it, I went back for more.

Kit can't fathom my love for this tuber. To him, they are sticky, difficult to peel, messy and bland. Personally, I relish the slightly mucus-y texture, and the creaminess of the flesh. I also like how different yams have a different bite, with some being quite crisp and crunchy, and others being soft and mushy.

Eaten alone they can be a bit boring, so I experimented with condiments. Chicken rice chilli sauce made by Kit was a bit overpowering, with the sharp bite of vinegar and ginger. English-style pickles were a tad too odd. Honey was the best! It really brought out the cream and velvet texture out of the yams and blended nicely with the slight milky taste. Only clear honey will do for this - I used Capilano. Using other more expensive honeys like manuka or creamed honey is just wrong, because the floral fragrance sits strangely with yam.