The Trials and Tribulations of Turnip Cake

Turnip cake, also known as Law Bak Go in Chinese, is one of many favorite dim sum dishes. I've never had a desire to learn how to make it until my sister-in-law's mother served it almost daily for breakfast over the Xmas holidays in 2011.

How is that even possible? Isn't the novelty of going to dim sum is because you can't whip up those dishes yourself in a timely manner? Turns out Mrs. Chen actually makes the turnip cakes herself and claimed it was very easy. At some point my mom got into the mix and there was a bit of a turnip cake throwdown. Mind you, my mom does not really cook.

My mom steams hers, Mrs. Chen bakes hers, my mom adds ingredients that Mrs. Chen doesn't, my mom reuses the mushroom water for flavor, Mrs. Chen doesn't. To be honest, both are good. So I took what I learned from both of their recipes to come up with mine, which I sucessfully created on January 23, Chinese New Year's Day 2012. I opted to bake mine because I just don't have a steamer of that size. The hardest part of this whole recipe was waiting for the mixture to turn to paste! I was convinced I was doing something wrong, but, here it is. I bring you the Young/Chen Lao Bak Go recipe:

-- One average size daikon (12 inches in length), peeled and shredded
*use a Cuisnart! Saves time and energy
-- One cup dried Shitake mushrooms rehydrated and diced
*save the mushroom water
-- 6 cups of water in total (with mushroom water)
-- 4-5 chinese sausage sliced
-- 1/4 dried shrimp, diced
-- 1 bag of rice flour (1 lb.)

In a large skillet stir fry mushrooms, sausage and dried shrimp until sausage is slightly brown. Then add shredded daikon. Season to taste. Stir until diakon softens.

Using the leftover mushroom water, measure out three cups of mushroom water and regular water and add to skillet.

In separate bowl, add 3 cups of cold water to rice flour and stir until smooth.

Add rice flour mixture to skillet. Keep stirring on low to medium low heat to prevent bottom from burning. Mix until pastelike (approx 20 mins.). Spread mixture into 13 x 9 casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Making sure the top is not browned. Let rest. When ready to serve, Cut out slices to brown sides in a pan.

Enjoy!