1 1/2 lb. fresh yams
2/3 lb. glutinous rice flour
2/3 lb. red bean paste
7 oz. crushed coconut

1. Peel the yams then rinse them. Cut the yams into slices, 1/2 inch thick. Steam them for 20 minutes or until cooked; remove. Put the steamed yams in a bowl then mash them. Add glutinous rice flour to the yams and mix well; divide the mixture into 20 portions.

2. Divide the bean paste into 20 portions. Place 1 portion of the bean paste in the center of the rice dough; wrap the rice dough to enclose the filling. Flatten the rice dough into a round circle, 3/5 inch thick. Follow the same steps for the other portions.

3. Bring water in a pot to a boil. Put the dough circles in water and cook for 1 minute; remove. Coat the cakes with crushed coconut.

RED BEAN PASTE:

(1)
1 lb. red beans
8 c. water
(2)
3/4 c. oil
1 3/4 c. sugar

METHOD I: Mix (1). The water must cover the red beans. Soak the beans for 2 hours; drain and discard the water. Add 8 cups water to the beans and bring the water to a boil; cook the beans over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until they are open. Strain the beans and discard skins (add water if the beans are too thick to strain). Place the strained beans in cheesecloth; form a pocket and squeeze out the excess water. Put the strained mixture and (2) in a pan and cook until the water has almost evaporated; stir continuously to prevent the bean paste from sticking to the pan. This method yields 1 2/3 pounds red bean paste.

METHOD II: Follow Method I except omit straining the beans. When the beans are open, add (2) to the beans and cook until the water has almost evaporated. This method yields 2 1/4 pounds red bean paste.

Makes 20.

Family favorite.