Golden Turnip Cake: A Lunar New Year Classic.

As we enter the second week of the Lunar New Year, the celebrations continue with intimate gatherings, shared meals, and flavors that bring people together. Turnip Cake (萝卜糕, Lo Bak Go) is a dish traditionally eaten this time of the year—symbolizing prosperity and abundance, it is comforting and delicious to be enjoyed at any time of the year. This version is packed with the most luxurious Chinese ingredients, giving it layers of texture and flavour. After steaming, the turnip cake is pan-fried until golden and crisp and from there, you can eat it as you wish, pan fry it like how we've done it, or even stir fry it with eggs, chives and beansprouts. 

Golden Turnip Cake Recipe

Turnip Cake Ingredients

• 750 grams of daikon radish (unpeeled weight), peeled and grated
• 130g rice flour
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch
• Reserved soaking liquid from scallops, mushrooms, and shrimp (about 1 cup, drained and adjusted as needed)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of white pepper
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
  

Savory Add-Ons Ingredients

• ¼ cup dried scallops, soaked in warm water, then shredded
• 3-5 shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, then finely diced
• 2 tablespoons of dried shrimp, soaked, drained, and roughly chopped
• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), finely diced
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon of oil for stir-frying
  

Serving Ingredients

• Chili oil (homemade or store-bought)
• Fresh spring onions, finely sliced
• Rinse the dried scallops, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms under cold water, then soak them together in 1 cup of hot water until fully hydrated.
• Scallops: Depending on size, they may take around 3 hours to soften enough to shred by hand.
• Mushrooms & Shrimp: If not using scallops, these will take about 1 hour to fully soften.

*Note: Prepare the Dried Ingredients (At Least 2-3 Hours in Advance) – This can even be done the night before for soaking so we can ensure that the dried shrimps and scallops are easy to peel. 

Steps

1. Drain and reserve the soaking water—this liquid is packed with umami and will be used later. Shred the scallops into thin strands, removing the tough muscle on the side. Finely dice the mushrooms and shrimps.

2. Saute the savory ingredients. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced Chinese sausage, followed by the dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and shredded scallops. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add the light soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Cook for another minute, then remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a large pan or pot, add the grated daikon and ½ cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Strain the daikon radish. Measure the daikon cooking liquid—you want to have about 1 cup total. If there isn't enough, add cold water to make up the difference. If there’s excess (there shouldn’t be too much extra), reduce it over low heat until you have 1 cup. Let the liquid cool slightly until it's warm, not hot, before using it in the batter. 

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, white pepper, sugar, and ½ cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Stir until smooth. Slowly add more soaking liquid as needed until the batter reaches a thick but pourable consistency. Fold in the cooked daikon and sautéed ingredients, ensuring even distribution. Grease a 9-inch round or square cake pan with oil and line it with baking paper and pour in the mixture. Smooth the surface. Place in a steamer over medium-high heat and steam for approximately 1 hour , or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before slicing. 

5. Slice the turnip cake into rectangles or squares. Heat a pan with a little oil and pan-fry each piece over medium heat until crisp and golden brown on both sides. Serve hot, topped with fresh spring onions and a drizzle of chili oil for extra heat and fragrance. The contrast of crisp exterior and soft, savory interior makes every bite irresistible.

We hope you are having a fantastic Lunar New Year with your loved ones!