Homemade Yam Ring Basket with Seafood (芋头海鲜圈)

If you have ever attended a traditional 8-course Chinese wedding banquet, you already know this dish. The golden, crispy Yam Ring (also known as a Taro Basket or Fúbō 佛钵) is always a showstopper.

When it arrives at the table, it's nestled on a bed of snowy, puffed grass noodles  and overflowing with a colorful, glossy stir-fry. Everyone reaches for their chopsticks.

But can you recreate this banquet masterpiece at home? Today, we are breaking down its beautiful cultural meaning, the secret techniques to master it, and a foolproof recipe.

The Beautiful Meaning Behind the Basket

In Chinese culture, the Yam Ring symbolizes togetherness and a blissful life for newlyweds. Its golden-fried form, resting on crispy rice vermicelli, represents building a prosperous home and hopes for abundant offspring. Known as the "Prosperity Yam Basket," (佛钵飘香), it conveys wealth and good fortune to wedding guests.

The Science of the Perfect Fluffy Crunch

The secret to a crispy, melt-in-your-mouth Yam Ring lies in wheat starch paste and shortening. Mixing raw wheat starch with boiling water creates a sticky dough that binds the yam mash. Kneading in solid shortening adds fat pockets that expand when deep-fried, resulting in a flaky exterior and soft interior.

What goes in the middle?

Right before serving, fill the center of your hot ring with your favorite stir-fry. You can fill in a yam ring with almost anything. I kept it simple with seafood and shimeji stir-fry with some crisp vegetables bathed in a savory garlic sauce that seeps beautifully into the taro ring.

Full written steps, tips, and exact measurements are below. Keep scrolling!

INGREDIENTS

(For the Yam Ring)

250g Fresh Yam/Taro (peeled and cut)

40g Wheat Starch 

30ml Boiling Water

20g soften butter or shortening or Lard

1 tsp Sugar

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Five-Spice Powder

2 tbsp wheat starch (additional)

For Assembly & Frying:

A handful of dried grass noodles 

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

METHOD

Step 1: Steam and Mash

Steam yam slices for 15–20 minutes until tender. Mash while hot, then mix in sugar, salt, white pepper, five-spice powder, and softened butter. 

Step 2: Make the "Glue"

In a small bowl, add the wheat starch. Pour the boiling water directly over it and stir rapidly. It will instantly form a sticky, translucent dough.

Step 3: Shape and Chill

Knead the hot starch dough into seasoned mashed yam until smooth. If sticky, add additional wheat starch and knead to form a dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll into a 10–12-inch cylinder, shape into a ring, and seal the ends

Step 4: Fry the "Nest"

Heat your frying oil in a wok. Drop a handful of dried grass noodles into the hot oil. It will puff up like magic in 2 to 3 seconds! Scoop it out immediately and drain. Arrange it on your serving platter as the nest.

Step 5: Fry the Ring

Place the yam ring onto a piece of parchment paper then put it on a wide slotted spoon or wire skimmer. Lower it carefully into the hot oil (170 - 175°C). Or test with chopsticks, if steady bubbles around the chopsticks means the oil is ready. Deep-fry for 5–7 minutes without moving it too much, until golden brown. Drain well and rest on top of the fried grass noodles.

INGREDIENTS

The Seafood & Veggies:

5–6 medium prawns (peeled and deveined)

A handful of cross-cut squid (calamari)

15 pcs Holland peas (snow peas)

4 baby corn (cut into small pieces)

1 small piece of carrot (cut into beautiful decorative flowers)

Some toasted cashed nuts

½ pack Shimeji mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp cooking oil

The Simple Savory Sauce:

2 tsp oyster sauce

A pinch of white pepper

A pinch of salt

2 tbsp water

METHOD

Step 1: Prep the Sauce

In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce, white pepper, salt, and water together. Set aside.

Step 2: Blanch the Veggies

Heat up some water in a wok. Blanch the Holland peas, carrot flowers, baby corn, and shimeji mushrooms. Remove them and set aside.

Step 3: Flash-Blanch the Squid

In the same hot water, blanch the cross-cut squid just until it curls up. Remove it immediately and set aside keeping this quick ensures the squid stays perfectly tender and doesn't get rubbery. Drain the water and dry the wok.

Step 4: Sauté and Cook Prawns 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over high heat. Sauté the sliced garlic until fragrant, then add the prawns. Stir-fry for just 1 to 2 minutes until the prawns turn pink.

Step 5: Toss the Veggies 

Toss the blanched carrot flowers, cut baby corn, peas, and shimeji mushrooms into the wok with the prawns. Stir-fry on high heat for 2 minutes until the vegetables are vibrant and heated through.

Step 6: Sauce and Finish

Pour in your prepared sauce. Give everything a quick, vigorous toss for 30 seconds until the sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Toss the blanched squid back together with the toasted cashew nuts into the wok for a final mix so the sauce coats every ingredient beautifully.

Step 7: The Grand Finale

Scoop the hot stir-fry directly into the center of your freshly fried, golden yam ring. Make sure some of the prawns and carrot flowers sit right on top, so the dish looks absolutely stunning when served!

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