Abstract
Karukan is a typical traditional rice cake. To clarify the effects of the combinations of materials, cooking conditions, and particle sizes of rice flour on the qualities of Karukan, sensory evaluation, rheological measurement and microscopic observation were undertaken. The results were summarized as follows.
It was found that the best ratio of materials (raw yam; water; sugar; rice flour) was 1; 1; 2; 1.3 and in the case of dry yam, this ratio changed to 1; 4; 2; 1.3.
The particle size of rice flour also affects the quality of the cake and Karukan made from 60 mesh rice flour was the most favored, judging from the sensory evaluation, and if the particles of less than 60 mesh were employed as the material, the tenderness of the cake resembled to that of sponge cake.
The presence of needle crystals of calcium oxalate, originated from yam and of ungelatinized starch granules in the cake was recognized by microscopic observation.
