The LNY "Turnip Cake" Doesn't Have Any Turnips

By Pailin's Kitchen · 90 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. At least 2–3 hours ahead, rinse the scallops, dried shrimp and dried mushrooms quickly under cold water, then soak them together in 1 cup of hot water until the scallops are fully softened and can be shredded by hand. Scallops take about 3 hours; without scallops, the mushrooms and shrimp need no more than 1 hour.
2. Drain the soaked ingredients and keep all the soaking water. Shred the scallops into strings, removing the chewy muscle on the side. Finely dice the mushrooms (discard tough stems if needed). Roughly chop the dried shrimp.
3. Peel the daikon and cut it into julienne or grate on the largest holes.
4. In a wok or heavy pot over medium-low heat, render the Chinese sausage until lightly browned, adding a little oil if it is too lean.
5. Add the mushrooms, scallops and dried shrimp and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the wok.
6. Add the daikon to the wok and toss over medium-high heat until slightly wilted. Add the reserved soaking water, leaving out any grit. Toss until wilted, then cover and cook over medium heat for 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully soft.
7. Drain the daikon, pressing out as much liquid as possible, and keep the liquid. Return the daikon to the wok with the heat off. Measure the liquid to about 1 cup, adding cold water if short or reducing if too much, and let it cool until just warm.
8. Add the mushroom mixture, sugar, salt, white pepper and oil to the daikon and toss. Whisk the rice flour and tapioca starch into the warm liquid until smooth, add to the daikon and toss well.
9. Turn on medium heat and keep tossing and scraping the bottom until the mixture thickens into a paste. Remove from heat.
10. Grease a pan well with oil; line the bottom with parchment if you want to unmold it whole. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan.
11. Steam for 1 hour over boiling water, keeping plenty of water in the steamer. If the lid drips, shield the cake with foil or wrap the lid in a towel (not needed for bamboo steamers).
12. Check doneness: the centre should reach at least 200°F internal, or a wooden skewer inserted in the centre should come out translucent, not pasty white. Larger pans may need longer steaming.
13. Cool completely or chill before cutting. The cake keeps in the fridge for about a week.
14. Unmould the cake, cut it into slices no more than 1 inch thick, and pan-fry in a little oil over medium heat until hot throughout and browned on both sides.
15. Serve with soy sauce and a sweeter Thai-style Sriracha on the side.

Summarized from Pailin's Kitchen's video. Watch it for the details.

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