Nyonya Lobak Recipe

Prepare daikon

Grate the peeled daikon on the coarse side of a box grater. Place grated daikon in a clean muslin/cheesecloth or a fine sieve and press out as much moisture as possible into a bowl; reserve the liquid. You should have about 200–300 ml liquid. Allow liquid to settle 2–3 minutes; skim off any cloudy starchy sediment into a small bowl and leave the clearer liquid separate (see step for batter binding).

Cook aromatics

Heat 2 tbs cooking oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped dried shrimp and cook another 1 minute.

Mix filling

In a large bowl combine grated and drained daikon, ground pork, chopped water chestnuts, cooked aromatics (shallot/garlic/dried shrimp), light soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, caster sugar, sesame oil and 3 tbs cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or clean hands until mixture is cohesive. If mixture feels loose, add another 1 tbs cornstarch. Taste a small piece by microwaving a teaspoon for 20–30 seconds to check seasoning and adjust salt/soy if needed.

Shape lobak

Divide filling into 8 equal portions (about 100 g each for 8 rolls). Lightly wet your hands to prevent sticking and shape each portion into a tight cylinder about 10–12 cm long and 3–4 cm wide. Place formed rolls on a tray lined with parchment.

Make batter

In a bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, rice flour, 2 tbs cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Beat the egg into the cold water, then gradually whisk the wet mix into the dry flour until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. If the batter is too thick add a tablespoon of water; too thin add a little flour.

Coat lobak

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or wok to 170–180°C (use a thermometer or test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle and float). Dip each radish roll into the batter, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry in batches without crowding, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 4–6 minutes per batch. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain.

Prepare sauce base

In a small saucepan combine the reserved daikon liquid (or the 200 ml water from ingredients if not reserved) and shredded palm sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in tamarind paste, fish sauce, light soy sauce and minced garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer and taste for balance: it should be a harmonious sweet, sour and salty. Add sliced red chilies if using.

Thicken sauce

Mix 1 tbs cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a slurry. When sauce is simmering, whisk in slurry a little at a time until sauce reaches a glossy, pourable consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Arrange the fried lobak on a serving platter. Spoon the warm Nyonya sauce over the rolls or serve the sauce in a small bowl for dipping. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions over the top. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.

Leftovers: keep sauce and fried lobak separately. Reheat lobak in a 180°C oven for 8–10 minutes to re-crisp, and warm the sauce gently on the stovetop.