Thoroughly wash the Chinese yam. Peel it (I recommend wearing gloves to protect your skin from the sap) and cut it into 3-5cm pieces. Place the pieces in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water.

Steam over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until a chopstick can pierce through the yam easily with no resistance. This ensures it's fully cooked and will mash smoothly.

Transfer the hot, steamed yam to a large mixing bowl. Use a spoon or fork to mash it into a very fine, smooth paste—the finer the mash, the smoother your final pancakes will be.

To the warm yam paste, add the pure milk and eggs.

Add the all-purpose flour and stir until you have a smooth batter with no dry flour pockets.

Be careful not to overmix. Finally, gently fold in your desired amount of sweet red beans until evenly distributed.

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with oil.

For each pancake, scoop a portion of the batter into the pan and, if desired, sprinkle in some sweet red beans.

You can gently spread it into a circle about 0.5cm thick.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges look set and the bottom is a light golden brown.

Carefully flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, until both sides are golden and the pancake puffs slightly. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Enjoy the pancakes immediately while they're warm and soft. They can be stored and reheated in the microwave for about 10 seconds to restore their lovely soft texture if needed.