Pan-Fried Turnip Cake
Crispy-edged turnip cake (lo bak go) with a tender, savory interior studded with Chinese sausage and mushrooms. Pan-fried until golden, it's a beloved dim sum classic made simple at home.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 240
- Protein
- 4g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs daikon radish (about 1.5 lbs)
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 whole scallions, white and light green parts
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying, divided
- 1 pinch salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Peel the daikon radish with a vegetable peeler, removing the thin beige skin until you see the white flesh underneath.
- 2
Cut the peeled daikon lengthwise in half, then place each half flat-side down and cut crosswise into thin matchsticks about 1/16 inch wide, like shoestring fries.
- 3
Place the daikon matchsticks into a large microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup water, cover loosely with a paper towel, and microwave on high for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 4
Drain the daikon in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess water — you want them moist but not dripping.
- 5
Pour 1 cup hot water over the dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl and let them sit for 5 minutes until soft and dark brown.
- 6
Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, discard the hard stems by pinching them off with your fingers, then slice the caps into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
- 7
Slice the scallions crosswise into thin rings about 1/4 inch wide, separating the white and light green pieces from the dark green tops.
- 8
In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 cup water, stirring until no lumps remain and the mixture looks like thick pancake batter.
- 9
Add the drained daikon, mushroom slices, scallion whites and light greens, salt, and white pepper to the batter bowl.
- 10
Fold the mixture together with a spatula until the vegetables are evenly coated and distributed, about 20 folds, until you see no dry flour pockets.
- 11
Place a 10-inch nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
- 12
When the oil shimmers and slides quickly across the pan when you tilt it, pour in half the batter (about 2 cups), using a spatula to spread it into an even layer about 3/4 inch thick.
- 13
Cook without moving for 4 minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown with crispy edges — peek under one edge with a spatula to check the color.
- 14
Flip the cake by sliding it onto a large plate, then sliding it back into the skillet to cook the other side.
- 15
Cook the second side for 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then slide onto a cutting board.
- 16
Repeat steps 11–15 with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the second half of the batter to make a second cake.
- 17
Cut each turnip cake into 8 wedges (like a pizza), arrange on a serving plate, and scatter dark green scallion pieces on top.
Tools you’ll need
- vegetable peeler
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large microwave-safe bowl
- paper towel
- fine-mesh strainer
- small bowl
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- 10-inch nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet
- large plate
- cutting board
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
