Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕)
I make this turnip cake with grated daikon, Chinese sausage, and dried shrimp, then steam and pan fry it until crispy on the outside. The key is getting the daikon to flour ratio just right so the cake is tender and moist, not tough. It is a classic dim sum appetizer dish I make every Chinese New Year, and it tastes so much better than the restaurant version.
Ingredients
- 4 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (or dried scallops)
- 2 lbs daikon radish , peeled and grated coarsely, yields 1 lb 4 oz (560 g) grated (*Footnote 1)
- 3 Chinese sausages , small diced into 1/3” pieces (*Footnote 2)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 1/4 cups rice flour
- Sliced scallion for garnish (Optional)
- Soy sauce , for serving (Optional)
- Chili garlic sauce (or Chinese chili crisp), for serving (Optional)
Instructions
- Soak dried ingredients: Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately with tap water and gently rub them to remove any dirt. Place each ingredient into a different bowl. Add warm water to cover. Soak for 15 minutes, or until the ingredients turn soft. Drain thoroughly. Dice mushroom cap into 1/4” pieces and mince the shrimp.
- Cook the filling: Add the Chinese sausage into a large nonstick skillet and heat it over medium heat. Cook from a cold pan and turn to medium-low heat once the sausage starts to sizzle. Cook until the sausage is lightly browned and some oil is rendered off, 5 minutes or so. Transfer the sausage to a bowl and reserve the rendered fat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp. Cook and stir until lightly charred. Transfer to the same bowl with the sausage.
- Cook the daikon: Add the daikon radish and 1 cup of water into the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until simmering. Cover, simmer over medium-low heat until the daikon is soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Create the batter: Strain the cooked radish over a colander, pressing out as much liquid as you can into a big bowl or measuring cup. Measure out 1 cup of liquid, pour into a large bowl. Add rice flour, sugar, salt and white pepper. Stir to mix well until forming a very runny batter. Add back the radish and mix again.
- Cook the batter: Transfer the radish mixture to a large, clean nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly, until the mixture has slightly thickened. When you stir the mixture, the radish should be able to form a clump without looking too runny. This will only take 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked filling.
- Assemble: Prepare 1 to 2 glass tupperware or baking dishes that can fit into your steamer. You can use two 4.5” x 4.5” (11cm x 11 cm) tupperware dishes to cook two batches. If you have a large wok or steamer, you might be able to fit a 5” x 9” (13cm x 23cm) loaf pan or 7”x7” (20cm x 20cm) baking pan (*Footnote 3). You’ll only need to cook one batch in this case. If you’ll be cooking in two batches, cover the uncooked batter with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Grease the glass tupperware with oil. Transfer the mixture into the tupperware.
- Steam: Set up your steamer by adding plenty of water and bringing it to a boil (*Footnote 4). Add the steaming rack with the turnip cake container. Steam over medium-high heat for 50 to 60 minutes until the turnip cake is cooked through. Test the doneness by inserting a knife into the cake and it should come out clean.
- Rest: Remove the steamed turnip cake and set it aside to cool. Once the container is no longer hot, transfer it to the fridge. Let the turnip cake set until it has cooled completely. (*Footnote 5)
- Release: Use a knife to loosen the edges from the container, then turn the container upside down. The turnip cake should come out in one piece.
- Serve: Cut the turnip cake into 1/4” (1 cm) thick pieces. Heat a skillet coated with a thin layer of oil, cook both sides over medium or medium low heat until heated through and the surface turns golden. Garnish with sliced green onion if using. Serve with soy sauce and chili garlic sauce, if desired.
- Store: Transfer the steamed turnip cakes (without pan-frying) into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw the frozen turnip cakes first, and pan fry them before serving.
Notes
- I used a radish that was just under 2-lb (900 g). After peeling and grating, I had 1 lb 4 oz of grated radish to use in the cooking. You will lose quite some daikon by peeling and grating, so it’s better to purchase extra.
- I like to keep the sausage pieces slightly larger for a chewy texture. To slice the sausage, divide it into 3 pieces lengthwise, then divide each piece into 3 strips lengthwise. Then slice across into a small dice that’s just slightly larger than minced. If you prefer the dim sum restaurant style, mince the sausages and cook them less.
- A 8” round pan works too and it will fit into a steamer easier than a square container. The cuts you get from it will be less perfect looking but it won’t affect the taste.
- It’s very important to add plenty of water to your steamer, because it takes a long time to cook and the water might boil completely off if you don’t add enough.
- You can slice the turnip cake when it’s still warm, but the texture will be a little sticky and you won’t get a clean cut.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 170kcal, Carbohydrates: 25.5g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1.6g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 559mg, Potassium: 282mg, Fiber: 2.9g, Sugar: 3.4g, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg