Chinese Steamed Daikon Cake

Description

A traditional Chinese New Year favorite, this classic dish can also be enjoyed throughout the year. This is my adaptation of my grandmother’s recipe. This recipe is absolutely delicious! Serve immediately plain, or with hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, or chili sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rice flour
  • 4 cups cold water, divided
  • ⅔ cup dried shrimp
  • ¾ cup Chinese bacon
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 pounds daikon radish, peeled and grated
  • ⅓ cup rock sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salt

Instructions

  1. Combine rice flour and 2 cups cold water in a large
  2. heatproof mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and velvety; set aside.
  3. Soak dried shrimp in 1 cup cold water in a small bowl until softened
  4. about 15 minutes. Drain and dry shrimp
  5. then finely chop and set aside.
  6. Boil enough water to immerse bacon in a small pot
  7. and cook to soften
  8. 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pat dry. Finely chop and set aside.
  9. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until fragrant
  10. about 3 minutes. Add bacon. Cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  11. Clean the wok and heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry daikon and rock sugar for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water
  12. cover the wok
  13. and steam daikon until just cooked
  14. about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  15. Add hot daikon mixture to the reserved rice flour mixture
  16. mixing until daikon is well incorporated. Add bacon
  17. shrimp
  18. and salt; stir until evenly distributed. Pour into a 10-inch round cake pan and smooth out the top.
  19. Bring some water to a boil in a wok. Place the cake pan on the wok rack
  20. making sure the bottom half of the pan is immersed. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Steam until a toothpick goes cleanly through the center
  21. about 1 hour. Check the water level regularly and replenish
  22. if necessary
  23. with boiling water. Remove pan and allow to cool on a rack for about 1 hour.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 35 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 10 mins

Servings: 8

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