Turnip Cake (Radish Cake)
Crispy outside, tender inside, with a delicate radish aroma. A classic dim sum and Fujian-style snack, perfect with soy sauce or sweet chili sauce.
Ingredients
10 items- White radish 500 g
- Rice flour 200 g
- Wheat starch 50 g
- Dried shrimp 20 g
- Chinese sausage (lap cheong) 1 piece
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 3 pieces
- Salt 1 tsp
- Sugar 1/2 tsp
- White pepper pinch
- Cooking oil as needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Peel and grate the white radish. Mix with 1 tsp salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and reserve the radish water.
In a bowl, combine rice flour and wheat starch. Gradually add about 200 ml of the reserved radish water, stirring until smooth. Add more water if needed to form a thin batter.
Sauté dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, and shiitake mushrooms over low heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
Mix the sautéed ingredients with the grated radish. Add sugar and white pepper, then pour in the batter and stir thoroughly to form a thick paste.
Grease a steaming tray with oil. Pour in the mixture and smooth the surface. Steam over high heat for 30-40 minutes until the center is firm and a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from steamer, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully set.
Unmold the set radish cake and cut into slices about 1 cm thick.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the slices for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
Tips
Squeeze radish dry but keep the liquid for the batter – it adds flavor. Chilling the cake before slicing makes it easier to handle. Do not flip too often when frying; let one side set properly.
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