Let’s make your dim sum favorite, Chinese Turnip Cake or lo bak go with this delicious and easy recipe. This savory turnip cake recipe is made with fresh daikon radish, juicy Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and shrimp for the most delicious Lunar New Year dish.
Let’s make your dim sum favorite, Chinese Turnip Cake or lo bak go with this delicious and easy recipe. This savory turnip cake recipe is made with fresh daikon radish, juicy Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and shrimp for the most delicious Lunar New Year dish.
Whenever I go to dim sum restaurants, my go-to’s are Cantonese shumai and a plate of lo bak go, or Chinese turnip cake (sometimes called radish cake). But when it comes down to it homemade cooking is always best. There’s nothing like tasting all the love and care that goes into a delicious homemade plate of Chinese radish cake filled with freshly shredded daikon, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and shrimp bits.
Take it one step further and try pan-frying the turnip cake for a crispy on the outside, soft, and savory on the inside experience. Trust me, add a little garlic chili oil crisp and dip it in soy sauce and you’ll have the most addictive, better than dim sum take out, Chinese radish cake right at home.
Delicious. Ultra-soft, savory batter filled with Chinese sausage, shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms. What more could you ask for?
Foolproof. This radish cake recipe has step-by-step photos with a tips section to show you how to make a foolproof Chinese turnip cake.
Luck. Chinese turnip cake is known to be an auspicious cake. So why not make a full batch for extra luck for the upcoming year?
Kitchen Equipment
These are the following kitchen equipment you will need to successfully make this radish cake recipe.
Mixing bowls: mixing bowls are necessary for soaking the mushrooms and shrimp and mixing the batter. I like using my glass nesting mixing bowls for all my cooking needs.
Food Processor or Grater: for the quickest method, I recommend using a food processor with a shredding attachment to grate the daikon. Alternatively, you can manually grate the daikon by hand.
Wok or large skillet: You will need a wok or a large enough skillet with a lid that can cook the shredded daikon.
Steamer: I used a stainless steel steamer for this recipe. The size of your steamer will ultimately decide the size of your pan.
Parchment paper: I recommend lining the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
9-inch round cake pan: I used a 9-inch round cake pan for this recipe, but you can alternatively use an 8-inch round cake pan or a square pan if it fits inside your steamer.
Ingredients
You can find all of the ingredients for this Chinese radish cake recipe at your local Asian grocery store or online!
Dried Shrimp: rehydrated dried shrimp adds flavor to the batter without adding too much moisture which could ruin the composition of the batter. You can find dried shrimp online or at your local Asian grocery store.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: similarly, rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms add flavor without unnecessary moisture. You can find dried shiitake mushrooms online or at your local Asian grocery store.
Daikon Radish: I recommend picking a thick, plump radish with a smooth surface for the best-tasting results. Avoid skinny radishes with bumpy exteriors since those tend to taste more bitter.
Garlic: minced garlic is the main aromatic that flavors the batter.
Chinese sausage: Chinese sausage is made from fresh pork, or sometimes chicken that tends to be sweet, savory, rich, and dense. You can find it at your local Asian grocery store.
Green Onion: as a garnish
Rice Flour: rice flour is the base of the batter which gives the daikon cake its structure. Make sure to use rice flour and NOT glutinous rice flour.
Cornstarch: cornstarch softens the batter and creates that silky smooth melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Salt:salt seasons the batter and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients
Sugar: since daikon tends to be slightly bitter, a touch of sugar will balance out the bitterness.
Chicken Bouillon powder: chicken bouillon powder is a popular Chinese ingredient used to season the batter.
White pepper:white pepper is slightly milder than black pepper and seasons the lo bak go.
Sesame oil: a dash of sesame oil adds a bit of toasted nuttiness to the batter.
Substitutions and Additions
This Chinese turnip cake recipe can be personalized based on your preferences. I’ve listed some ideas for the substitutions and additions for the flavoring bits below.
Substitutions
Equal ratio of cornstarch to rice flour. Alternatively, you can use a 1:1 ratio of cornstarch to rice flour. The cornstarch makes the lo bak go even softer, whereas the rice flour gives the cake more structure.
Fresh shiitake mushrooms: if you cannot find dried shiitake mushrooms, fresh ones will work, but it may alter the composition of the final radish cake because it will add more moisture to the batter.
Rock sugar: instead of granulated sugar, you can use rock sugar for a more authentic turnip cake recipe.
Additions
Shallots: for additional flavor, you can add minced shallots.
Dried scallops: you can also use dried scallops for more depth and flavor.
How to Make Chinese Turnip Cake
This Chinese turnip cake recipe is pretty easy to make. I recommend getting all of the ingredients prepped before you begin cooking for the most seamless process.
Prep
Rinse and soak. Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately. Add each ingredient into different bowls and add hot water to cover. Soak for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain and dice into small pieces. And squeeze out some water from the mushrooms.
Peel and grate daikon. Peel and shred the daikon radish using a grater or a food processor.
Make the batter. Combine the rice flour and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Cook
Cook garlic, shrimp, and mushrooms. In a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and wait until the pan is hot. Then, add the minced garlic, chopped shrimp, and chopped mushrooms. Saute for about 1 minute.
Cook the Chinese sausage. Next, add the minced Chinese sausage and saute for an additional 30 seconds.
Cook daikon. Add the shredded daikon and mix to combine. Cover the wok or skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Add seasoning. After the turnip has cooked, add the salt, sugar, chicken bouillon, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix to combine. Then cover the wok and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Steam
Prepare the cake pan. Line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper and grease the edges of the pan.
Assemble. Gently give the batter a stir. Then slowly add the batter into the daikon mixture and stir until combined and there are no more clumps and the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes. Then pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and use a spatula to flatten the surface.
Prepare the steamer. Fill your steamer with water and bring it to a boil on high heat. Then transfer the cake pan to the steamer and steam on medium-high heat for 40 minutes. About 30 minutes in, sprinkle minced green onion on top of the turnip cake. The turnip cake will be done when you pull a toothpick out from the center and it comes out clean.
Cool. Remove the turnip cake from the steamer and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before removing and slicing.
If pan frying. If you want to pan-fry the turnip cake, the cake needs to be set in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. To fry, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Then pan fry slices of the turnip cake for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
Serve. Serve the turnip cake with chili crisp or soy sauce. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chinese Turnip Cake
Pick a plump radish with a smooth surface. Plump radishes with smooth surfaces indicate a freshly picked radish that is less bitter.
Shred the daikon with a food processor. If you have a food processor, use the shredding function on it. It will save you an immense amount of time and energy.
Soak the shrimp and shiitake mushrooms in hot water. Soaking the shrimp and mushrooms in almost boiling hot water will reduce the amount of time you need to soak them before cooking.
Check for doneness. You will know the daikon cake is done steaming when you insert a knife, chopstick, or toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out clean.
Pan-fry the turnip cake. I recommend cooking pan-fried turnip cakes over eating them immediately after they are steamed. The pan frying gives the outer layer a subtle crisp that contrasts the soft interior beautifully.
Let the turnip cake rest before pan frying. If you opt for pan-fried turnip cake, I recommend chilling the steamed Chinese radish cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours or overnight to set. If not, the radish cake may be overly mushy and hard to pan-fry.
Storage Instructions
You can store this radish cake recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pan-fry the Chinese radish cake on a hot oiled skillet until warm.
Alternatively, you can store the turnip cake in the freezer in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw the frozen Chinese turnip cakes in the refrigerator overnight before pan-frying them.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
What is turnip cake in Cantonese?
In Cantonese, turnip cake or radish cake translates to lo bak go.
How can I tell if the radish cake is done cooking?
You can test if the Chinese radish cake is done by inserting a knife, chopstick or toothpick into the center of the pan and it comes out clean.
Can I make this Chinese turnip cake in advance?
Yes! I recommend making a full batch of Chinese radish cake in advance and storing it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Why is turnip cake a lucky Lunar New Year dish?
White radish is also called “choi tau” or “cai tou” in some areas of China which sounds similar to “good luck” in Chinese. So essentially, it is an auspicious cake.
Let’s make your dim sum favorite, Chinese Turnip Cake or lo bak go with this delicious and easy recipe. This savory turnip cake recipe is made with fresh daikon radish, juicy Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and shrimp for the most delicious Lunar New Year dish.
Rinse and soak. Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately. Add each ingredient into different bowls and add hot water to cover. Soak for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain and dice into small pieces. And squeeze out some water from the mushrooms.
Peel and grate daikon. Peel and shred the daikon radish using a grater or a food processor.
Make the batter. Combine the rice flour and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Cook
Cook garlic, shrimp, and mushrooms. In a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and wait until the pan is hot. Then, add the minced garlic, chopped shrimp, and chopped mushrooms. Saute for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Cook the Chinese sausage. Next, add the minced Chinese sausage and saute for an additional 30 seconds.
Cook daikon. Add the shredded daikon and mix to combine. Cover the wok or skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Add seasoning. After the daikon has cooked, add the salt, sugar, chicken bouillon, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix to combine. Then cover the wok and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Steam
Prepare the cake pan. Line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper and grease the edges of the pan.
Assemble. Gently give the batter a stir. Then slowly add the batter into the daikon mixture and stir until combined and there are no more clumps and the mixture has thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Then pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and use a spatula to flatten the surface.
Prepare the steamer. Fill your steamer with water and bring it to a boil on high heat. Then transfer the cake pan to the steamer and steam on medium-high heat for 40 minutes. (Optional) About 35 minutes in, sprinkle minced green onion on top of the turnip cake. The turnip cake will be done when you pull a toothpick out from the center and it comes out clean.
Cool. Remove the turnip cake from the steamer and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before removing and slicing.
If pan frying. If you want to pan-fry the turnip cake, the cake needs to be set in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. To fry, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Then pan fry slices of the turnip cake for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
Serve. Serve the turnip cake with chili crisp or soy sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Pick a plump radish with a smooth surface. Plump radishes with smooth surfaces indicate a freshly picked radish that is less bitter.
Shred the daikon with a food processor. If you have a food processor, use the shredding function on it. It will save you an immense amount of time and energy.
Soak the shrimp and shiitake mushrooms in hot water. Soaking the shrimp and mushrooms in almost boiling hot water will reduce the amount of time you need to soak them before cooking.
Check for doneness. You will know the daikon cake is done steaming when you insert a knife, chopstick, or toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out clean.
Pan-fry the turnip cake. I recommend cooking pan-fried turnip cakes over eating them immediately after they are steamed. The pan frying gives the outer layer a subtle crisp that contrasts the soft interior beautifully.
Let the turnip cake rest before pan frying. If you opt for pan-fried turnip cake, I recommend chilling the steamed Chinese radish cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours to set. If not, the radish cake may be overly mushy and hard to pan-fry.
Storage: You can store this radish cake recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pan-fry the Chinese radish cake on a hot oiled skillet until warm. Alternatively, you can store the turnip cake in the freezer in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 1 month
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