Yam ring
{{Short description|Singaporean dish}}
{{Use Singapore English|date=October 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Yam ring
| image = Westlake yam ring.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Yam ring filled with vegetables, mushrooms, chicken and prawns, served on a bed of cashews and dried bee hoon noodles
| alternate_name = Yam basket, Taro basket or Prosperity basket
| type =
| course =
| country = Singapore
| region = East and Southeast Asia
| national_cuisine = Singapore
| creator = Hooi Kok Wai
| other =
}}
Yam ring ({{zh|s=芋头圈|p=yùtou quān}}), also known as yam basket, taro basket or prosperity basket ({{zh|s=佛钵|p=fúbō|j=fat6but3}}), is a Singaporean dish consisting of a deep-fried ring of mashed taro filled with separately stir-fried ingredients. Originally a vegetarian dish, it is now commonly served with chicken or seafood, and a staple at tze char restaurant.{{Cite web|url=https://www.epicureasia.com/food/2562/best-yam-rings-in-singapore/|title=Best yam rings in Singapore|date=30 December 2016}}
History
The dish is commonly credited to Hooi Kok Wai, the founder of the Dragon Phoenix Restaurant in Singapore and one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Cantonese Cuisine" in the 1960s, chefs who cook Cantonese–style dishes with local Singaporean ingredients in Singapore.{{Cite web|url=http://ieatishootipost.sg/lai-wah-restaurant-origins-of-yu-sheng-and-yam-ring/|title=Lai Wah Restaurant: Origins of Yu Sheng and Yam Ring|date=13 May 2010}}
According to the legend, Chef Hooi invented the dish in 1958 to impress the vegetarian nuns who had brought up his orphaned wife to be, Leong Ah Lin.{{Cite web|date=2012-08-08|title=Did you know the Yam Ring Love Story?|url=https://makansutra.com/did-you-know-the-yam-ring-love-story/|access-date=2022-02-23|website=Makansutra|language=en-US}} The shape of the dish also resembles the alms bowl used by Buddhist monks, leading to its Chinese name, which literally translates as "fragrant Buddha bowl".{{Cite web|url=https://www.dptemasekclub.com/stories-of-dishes|title = Stories | Dragon Phoenix @ Temasek Club}}
Lai Wah Restaurant, set up by two other Heavenly Kings, also claims credit for inventing the dish.{{Cite web |url=http://www.laiwahrestaurant.com/signaturedishes-pioneer.htm |title=Lai Wah Restaurant |access-date=17 July 2021 |archive-date=17 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717091512/http://www.laiwahrestaurant.com/signaturedishes-pioneer.htm |url-status=dead }}
See also
{{portal|Food|Singapore}}