Cantonese Style Radish Cake - Turnip Cake - Daikon Cake - 粵式蘿蔔糕 - 菜頭粿

Turnip Cake is a famous cantonese dim sum which made by shredded white radish and rice flour, despite the name, turnip is not an actual ingredient, hence the less commonly-used but more accurate name of daikon cake. It is very easy to make it, and most of the chinese will make it during chinese new year. Taiwanese version add only dried shrimp and dried shitake, cantonese style will add chinese sausage (lap cheong), dried shrimps and also dried shitake for the filling and malaysian-singaporean style will first make it plain and when it is done and completely cooled, it will be stir-fry with tauge (bean sprouts), kucai (chive), egg, light soy sauce or even with some dried shrimp or any extra meat. I made this cantonese style during chap goh meh (last day of chinese new year), my family in law love it so much and told me it taste just likes that one sold in dim sum restaurant. So, my parents in law asked me do it again and again, between one month I need to make 4 batches (double recipe) for them. Proud huh? but too tiring .... may be need to tell them I'm tired........

Source: A cookbook --- Dim Sum by Chan Chen Hei

Ingredients:

1.5- 1.8kg radish
3 liters water
115g chinese sausages, skinned then diced
50g chinese mushrooms, soaked till soft then diced
115g dried shrimps, soaked till soft then roughly chopped
6 shallots, sliced
12 tbsp oil, for frying
Extra oil for greasing
600g rice flour
115g wheat starch (tung min flour)

Seasoning:
3 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
1.5tsp chicken granules (optional)
Few drops of sesame oil
Dash of pepper
Hoisin sauce or chili sauce to serve

Method:

1. Heat oil, saute dried prawn, chinese sausages and mushroom until fragnant. Add season to taste.
2. Stir in 2.5 liter water and bring to boil.
3. In the meantime, combine rice flour and wheat starch with the remaining water to form a paste.
4. Combine sauted ingredients and paste till well combine.
5. Steam over rapid boiling water in a greased pan for about 1 hour or till done.
6. Serve with some chopped spring onion, fried shallots and red chilies, or you may pan fry it for more extra crunchiness.
Notes:

1. I grate my radish in stead of cutting it, it is easier and faster.
2. You may store it in refrigerator and pan-fry it before serve.
3. This recipe is quiet much, suggest cut to half amount for normal portion.