Turnip Cake

Instructions

1. Prepare the daikon
   Peel and grate the daikon radish. Place in a pot with 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened but still slightly crunchy. Reserve the cooking liquid and let the daikon cool slightly.
2. Prepare the rice flour mixture
   In a large bowl, mix the rice flour and cornstarch. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved daikon cooking liquid (add water if needed to reach this amount) and stir until smooth to form a thick batter.
3. Cook the fillings
   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the dried shrimp, diced mushrooms, and Chinese sausage. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the scallions and cook for another minute. Season with soy sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper.
4. Mix the batter
   Add the cooked daikon and stir-fried filling mixture to the rice flour batter. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
5. Steam the cake
   Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper or lightly oil it. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Steam over high heat for about 45-50 minutes until the cake is firm and cooked through.
6. Cool and set
   Remove from the steamer and let the cake cool completely. For best results, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to firm up, which makes slicing easier.
7. Pan-fry the cake
   Cut the chilled turnip cake into rectangles or squares about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a non-stick pan with a thin layer of oil over medium heat. Pan-fry the slices for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
8. Serve
   Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped scallions. Serve hot with soy sauce, chili oil, or XO sauce on the side.