Pan Seared Turnip Cake Recipe

Prepare daikon

Peel the daikon and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Place grated daikon in a large bowl.

Combine grated daikon with 450 ml water or low-sodium chicken stock in a wide saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook 6–8 minutes until the daikon is softened and has released liquid.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Reserve any liquid in the pan — you will use up to 350 ml of this cooking liquid for the batter. Pour the remaining cooked daikon into a strainer set over a bowl and press to extract liquid; keep both solids and strained liquid separate.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together 300 g rice flour, 50 g cornstarch, 1.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp sugar. Gradually stir in 300–350 ml of the reserved cooking liquid (or additional water/stock to reach 350 ml) until smooth and lump-free. Adjust to make a pourable batter roughly the consistency of heavy cream.

Fold the drained cooked grated daikon into the batter, mixing thoroughly so vegetable pieces are evenly distributed.

Soak 6 dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 20–30 minutes until soft. Reserve soaking liquid, finely chop mushrooms and strain and reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid for flavor.

Dice the dried Chinese sausage (lap cheong) into small pieces. If using raw shrimp, chop it coarsely. Mince 2 cloves garlic and thinly slice 2 scallions (separate white and green parts). Rehydrate 2 tbsp dried shrimp in warm water for 10 minutes, then chop coarsely and reserve the soaking liquid.

Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced lap cheong and cook 2–3 minutes until it renders fat and becomes fragrant. Add chopped shiitake, chopped dried shrimp and (if using) chopped raw shrimp. Stir-fry until shrimp turn pink and mushrooms are glossy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add minced garlic and the white parts of the scallions and cook 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in 2 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil and 2–3 tbsp combined reserved soaking liquids (from mushrooms/dried shrimp) to deglaze. Remove from heat and let filling cool slightly.

Fold this cooled filling evenly into the daikon-rice batter prepared earlier so the mixture is homogeneous.

Lightly oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan or similarly sized heatproof dish. Pour the batter with fillings into the pan and smooth the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent condensation dripping onto the cake.

Prepare a steamer large enough to hold the pan (or use a wok with a heatproof rack). Bring water to a boil, then steam the covered pan over medium–high heat for 45–60 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Check water level occasionally and replenish as needed.

When cooked, remove the pan and let it cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to firm up — this makes slicing and pan-searing easier.

Turn the chilled turnip cake out of the pan and slice into 8–10 pieces about 1–1.25 cm (0.4–0.5 in) thick.

Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp neutral oil. When the oil shimmers, add slices in a single layer without overcrowding. Pan-fry 3–4 minutes per side until a deep golden-brown crust forms. If you like a darker color, brush lightly with 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce during the last minute of frying, then flip to caramelize.

Transfer seared turnip cake to a plate lined with paper towel briefly to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle a little white pepper to taste and garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens.

Serve hot with light soy sauce on the side for dipping or drizzled sparingly over the cakes.