Air-fried pumpkin oat cakes
Little cakes of sweet pumpkin and oats bound with tapioca starch, air-fried until crisp outside and soft within — no egg, dairy or nuts, and very little oil.
- 40 min
- Serves 4
- Air-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Start of Autumn is still muggy, and the change of season easily sets off hay fever and itchy skin in a Special (allergic) constitution. Pumpkin nourishes the middle and boosts qi and oats strengthen the spleen; made without egg, dairy or nuts and air-fried with very little oil, these homemade snacks keep allergens to a minimum.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min- 1Slice the pumpkin and steam for 12 minutes until soft, then mash while hot and mix in the sugar.
- 2Add the oats and tapioca starch and knead into a soft dough (add a few more oats if it's too wet). Divide into 12 and press into small rounds.
- 3Brush the air-fryer basket with a little oil, lay in the cakes, brush the tops lightly and air-fry at 180°C for 12 minutes, turning halfway.
- 4Let them cool slightly before eating — crisp outside, soft inside.
Cautions
- Oats are often processed alongside wheat, so choose certified gluten-free oats if you're sensitive to gluten; pumpkin is warming, so don't eat too many if you're prone to heat and breakouts.
Chef's tips
- Drain a little liquid from the pumpkin mash before kneading so the dough isn't sticky. No air fryer? Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 15 minutes.
The TCM view
Pumpkin is sweet and warm, nourishing the middle, boosting qi and moistening the lungs. Oats are sweet and neutral, benefiting the spleen, nourishing the heart and curbing sweating. Tapioca starch is neutral and simply binds the dough without gluten, and brown sugar warms the stomach and strengthens the spleen. Gently warming and spleen-nourishing — suited to the Special constitution.
