Mountain Yam with Osmanthus Syrup

The thing that tends to throw people off when they try Chinese desserts for the first time is the texture. There’s the creaminess of red bean paste, the density of sweet sticky rice, the slickness of white wood ear mushrooms, and then there’s this: crunchy and slimy mountain yams, sliced into rounds and dipped in a thin, sweet syrup.

To appreciate this dish, though, you have to fully embrace its texture. The yams here are watery and juicy, like a perfectly ripe Asian pear, complemen