How to make Turnip Cake
Servings:8 servings or yields 8” circular pan
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 lbs daikon (with skin on)
3 tbsp dried shrimps
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 Chinese sausages
3 tbsp minced shallot (small shallot)
4 green onions thinly sliced
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp msg (optional)
Neutral oil for cooking
Batter:
1.5 cups of reserved daikon water
8 oz rice flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
Garnish: green onions, sesame seed, chili oil (optional)
Serve with sweet soy sauce, hoisin sauce or sriracha
Instructions:
Soak the dried shrimps and dried shiitake mushrooms in water for at least one hour. Then drain and reserve the water to be used later.
Chop the shrimps, mushrooms and Chinese sausages into small pieces.
Peel the daikon (daikon is 2 lbs with skin on) then either grate or cut into matchstick size pieces.
On medium high heat, cook the daikon and the reserved shrimp and mushroom water together for a couple minutes till the daikon wilts. Then cover and cook for about 7 minutes till the daikon is well cooked and translucent. Stir occasionally.
Remove the daikon and squeeze out as much of the water as you can. Set daikon aside.
Reserve the daikon water for later use. You’ll need about 1.5 cups but if you’re short, just top it up with regular water.
Heat up some neutral oil on medium high heat and saute the minced shallots till fragrant. Add in the Chinese sausages and cook for about 1 minute or until the fat renders. Add in the dried shrimps, mushroom and green onion (reserve some to garnish) and stir together cooking for another minute.
Add in daikon and season with white pepper, msg and oyster sauce. Mix well then turn off the heat.
Make the batter by combining all of the batter ingredients and mixing well.
Turn the heat back on and pour in the batter, about 2 tbsp of neutral oil to prevent the cake from drying and cook until it becomes a thick paste.
Grease the edges of your pan with some neutral oil. I’m using a 8” circular pan but you can use whatever shape you prefer. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper then fill the pan with the cake mix. Flatten the top out evenly.
Steam for about 50 minutes to 1 hour on medium heat. Test it’s doneness by poking it with a skewer or toothpick. If it comes out clean then it’s ready.
Let the cake cool completely or for best results chill overnight in the refrigerator before removing it from the pan. Do not refrigerate until the cake is at room temperature.
Once the cake is cooled, score the edges with a knife then flip the pan over onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment paper.
Cut cake into 1-1.5” thick slices and pan fry using neutral oil till all sides are golden brown.
Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and chili oil.
Serve with either sweet soy sauce, hoisin sauce or sriracha for dipping.
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