Classic dim sum dish-Chinese turnip cake (Radish cake)
Chinese radish cake or turnip cake is a famous Chinese dessert available during the morning dim sum, Yun Cha. In Chinese, we name this type of cake as Gao in marinade or Gow in Cantonese dialect. There are also fried sponsored cake and taro cake. Those savory and yummy cake desserts are perfect side dish for a morning tea especially in fall or winter.
When winter finally comes, the feeling of New Year becomes stronger too. We will have a big family part for this year. So I am testing, trying and preparing my New Year dinner dishes and spring festivals dish now. In the following month, we will begin to embrace holidays.
Food with white color, like radish and lotus root, lotus seeds, and white lily are considered to be beneficial lung according to Wuxing Healthy Science. I did not test it but eating white food in fall and winter is a long Chinese history.
To make this radish cake at home, usually we need long radish (turnip), shitake mushroom, dried shrimp and Chinese sausage also known as Leop Cheung. However if you failed to find Chinese sausage, you can replace it with fresh ground pork. If you want to duplicate the taste at home, high quality Chinese sweet sausage is something worth searching.
Larger shreds of white radish can remain some radish test and texture in the final cake, while if they are finely shredded, it would be really hard for eater to connect radish with this yummy rice cake.
Classic Dim Sum dish--radish cake
- 300 g plain rice flour
- 1000 g Fresh long radish , aka daikon/turnip
- 800 ml water including the water squeezed from the white radish
- 3-4 middle size shiitake mushroom
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder , can be replaced by white pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon dried shrimp-pre soaked
- 100 g Chinese sausage
- 1/4 middle size red onion
- 3 green onions
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Vegetable cooking oil as needed
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine
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In a small bowl, soak the dried shrimp until softened. Set aside, drain well and cut both shrimp and shiitake mushroom into really small cubes.
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Peel all the skin of radish and then use a shredder to finely shred the radish. If you do not want to taste any radish texture in the final cake, shred the radish as small as possible.
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Transfer shredded radish in a large pot or bowl, spread salt on the surface and rub with hand. Set aside for around 20 minutes to 30 minutes until the radish shreds are totally softened.
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To prepare the side ingredients: in a small pan, add around 1/2 tablespoon oil and then fry onions, dried shrimp, sausage and shitake mushroom until aroma. Set aside.
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Squeeze the water out and transfer to another large mixing pot. Mix all the flour with the water squeezed out from the radish and the left water. Add radish shreds and Chinese five spice powder. Mix well and heat over medium fire to boil.
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Add other side ingredients and mix well.
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Brush some oil on your container and then transfer the mixture to the container. Steam for around 50 minutes; absorb any water on surface with a clean gauze or towel.
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Cut into slices around 1.5 cm in thickness after cooling down.
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Pan-fry until slightly brown on both sides. Sprinkle some chopped green onion and serve with your favorite tea.
The Nutrition Facts is based on each single cake.
I love savory cakes. The combination of turnip, mushrooms, sausage and shrimp flavors sounds so good. The cakes look great, too!
Never made a recipe like this before. Definitely something I am inspired to try as I love asian flavours..
It is really a savory dish for a morning tea.
Elaine, I love these!!! oh I can’t wait to try!! love anything Asian!
Thanks Alice. You really need to try this with one afternoon tea.
Elaine! This is hands-down, my all time favorite dim sum dish! I LOVE radish cake! I am so glad to finally have a recipe for it. Thanks for sharing the recipe and technique. -Kim
Welcome. Kim! Happy cooking ahead.
these are one of my favorite dim sum -0h THANK you!!!!
You are the most welcome! Robbin!
Do you have picture of what kind of radish / turnip you’re using?
Hi Min,
I use normal long daikon radish.
Followed this recipe to a t to take to my in-laws for CNY tonight. Ended up with mush that wouldn’t cake. Never again. So disappointed.
It should be severed when it’s hot. Otherwise it become hard and caking.
Made this recipe yesterday and it turned out so well. The texture and taste were spot on. I ate it with some congee and homemade salted duck egg. Yum! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for your feedback, Jen. I am so glad to know that you like it.
my cake came out too stick. impossible to slice without making a mess. did i do something wrong?
hello. i am confused what dried shrimp are. thanks! also where to buy them
Check this dried shrimp from Amazon.
Can these be frozen? What way is best?
Yes, it can be frozen. But freezing can cause some changes in the texture. It may bring small holes inside. Keep in air-tight bag.
Like some others, mine turned out too soft to slice and pan fry after taking out of the steamer. I steamed it, let it cool, then tried to slice, but it was just too soft and sticky. The flavour is good, but the texture is more like mashed potato than like radish cake. Not sure if there is a way to save it?
I will double check the recipe soon. Not cooked for years. By the way, if it becomes too soft, make small around balls and fry them (either shallow frying or deep frying).