3671. CHINESE TURNIP CAKE with SAUSAGE, BACON and MUSHROOMS (LAW BOK GOW)

serves 6-8


2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 mushrooms)
5 ounces Chinese bacon (lap yuk), diced
2 Chinese sausage, diced (see note above)
1/4 cup small dried shrimp, rinsed and patted dry (see note above)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 pounds daikon radish, peeled and finely grated on a box grater
8 ounces rice flour
Toasted sesame oil, for serving
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, chopped
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving (optional)
Hoisin sauce and Sriracha, for serving

Place dried shiitakes in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough hot water to cover. Soak for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Drain mushrooms, rinse under cold running water, and squeeze out excess water. Trim and discard stems and dice caps.

Set a large pot, Dutch oven, or wok over medium-high heat and add diced shiitakes, bacon, sausage, and dried shrimp. Cook, stirring, until bacon and sausage have rendered some fat, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons brown sugar and the soy sauce and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Transfer everything to a bowl and set aside.

In the same Dutch oven or wok, add grated daikon. Stir to coat with any of the remaining fat. Lower heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until daikon is slightly translucent, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar until dissolved.

Remove from heat. Stir in cooked shiitakes, bacon, sausage, and dried. Add rice flour in thirds, mixing thoroughly between additions (make sure no traces of flour are left at the bottom). If flour mixture becomes too difficult to stir, stir in up to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen slightly; the final texture should be sticky and tight.

Scrape mixture into two 7- by 5-inch baking dishes or disposable aluminum baking trays. Set up a steamer large enough to hold one of the baking dishes, then, working 1 baking dish at a time, steam turnip cake until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining baking dish. Let cooked turnip cakes rest 20 minutes before serving.

Drizzle turnip cakes with sesame oil and top with chopped scallions, cilantro, and sesame oil, if using. Slice and serve with hoisin sauce and/or Sriracha on the side.

The cooked turnip cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, slice and pan-fry in a small amount of oil until golden and crisp on both sides.


bacon recipe source: Shao Zhi Zhong (@FriedWontons4u), Serious Eats, February 17, 2015

2236. LO BO GAO: DAIKON RADISH CAKE with LA CHONG (CHINESE SAUSAGE) or BACON

1 large daikon radish, peeled & shredded (to make 6 cups)
6 cups water
2 La Chong, aka Chinese sausage, chopped or 4 slices/3 tablespoons chopped bacon
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
2 scallions, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons dried shallots
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 3/4 cups rice flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Chinese sweet hot mustard
Sriracha or sambal
Oyster sauce

Shred radish and place in medium pan with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes until radish is tender. Strain radish and reserve cooking liquid.

Place shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp in bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for at least 30 minutes.

Chop scallion, cilantro, bacon, softened mushrooms & dried shrimp. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in skillet over high heat. Add bacon & cook about 2 minutes until bacon is rendered and slightly browned.

Add diced mushrooms, chopped dried shrimp, cilantro, scallions, dried shallots, rice wine, kosher salt, sugar, & white pepper.

Lower heat to medium and add shredded daikon radish. Mix well and turn off heat.

In medium bowl, add 2 cups of rice flour and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved mushroom & dried shrimp soaking liquid (make sure you leave out the sediment/residual stuff at the bottom). If there's not enough liquid to measure 1 1/4 cups, add reserved daikon radish cooking liquid. Consistency of rice flour mixture should be like that of a medium-thin pancake batter.

Pour rice flour mix into daikon radish mixture. Pour into a 9" loaf pan.

Bring steamer up to a rolling boil over high heat. Place loaf pan in steamer, cover, reduce heat to medium and steam for about 1 hour. Remove radish cake pan from steamer and let cool to room temp.

Invert pan on chopping board to remove radish cake. Slice cake into 1/2" slices. Heat 1 tsp. of vegetable oil in skillet over high heat. Add radish cake slices and cook about 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned (cover pan if necessary).

Serve with Chinese hot mustard, oyster sauce, or chili sauce (sweet chili sauce, sambal olek, or Sriracha).


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Grub Files: Cooking with Camissonia, Murrieta, California, October 3, 2010