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Lo Bok Go (Cantonese Turnip Cake)

Servings: 10
Ingredients
    Gear
  • 8 in 8x4 loaf pan (or similar, ~1.5 qt)
  • Steamer setup (wok + rack, or stockpot + rack)
    • Base
  • 900 g Daikon radish (Chinese turnip)
  • 180 g Rice flour
  • 330 g Water or stock (start here; see texture note)
  • 1 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp White pepper
  • 20 g potato starch (slightly firmer slice)
    • Classic Cantonese mix-ins (recommended):
  • 75 g (up to 100g) Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
  • 20 g Dried shrimp, rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp Neutral oil
    • Optional flavor boosters
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp Mushroom powder / MSG (very “restaurant”)
  • 50 g Finely minced shiitake (if you want more depth)
Instructions
    Prep
  1. 1
    Grate daikon (large holes).
  2. 2
    Put grated daikon in a pot with 100 g of the water/stock and the salt/sugar/white pepper.
  3. 3
    Simmer 8–12 min until the daikon softens and releases liquid.
  4. 4
    Cook mix-ins (optional but classic):
  5. 5
    In a small pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Fry diced lap cheong 2–3 min. Add dried shrimp, fry 30–60 sec. Set aside.
    6. Make the batter
  6. 6
    Measure the daikon cooking liquid in the pot (don’t drain it). Add additional water/stock until your total liquid (cooking liquid + added) equals 330 g.
  7. 7

    In a bowl, whisk rice flour (and potato starch if using) with a bit of the warm liquid to make a smooth slurry, then stir that back into the pot.

  8. 8
    Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns into a thick, glossy paste (think loose mashed potatoes / pudding) — 3–6 min.
  9. 9
    Stir in the cooked mix-ins.
    10. Steam
  10. 10
    Oil your loaf pan lightly. Scrape batter in, smooth top, tap to remove air pockets.
  11. 11
    Steam over medium-high steam for 45–60 min.
  12. 12
    It’s done when a skewer comes out mostly clean and the top looks set.
  13. 13
    Cool to room temp, then refrigerate overnight (this is key for clean slicing).
    14. Pan-fry
  14. 14
    Slice 1/2–3/4 inch thick.
  15. 15
    Pan-fry in a lightly oiled nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat, 4–6 min per side, until deep golden and crisp.
Note

Vegetarian variation (still Cantonese)

Replace lap cheong + dried shrimp with:

  • Minced shiitake 80–100 g sautéed in oil + a splash of soy
  • Optional: small dice of firm tofu 100 g (pressed

Serving sauces

  • Chili crisp / chili oil (classic)
  • Sweet soy (or regular soy with a tiny pinch of sugar)
  • Optional: a little vinegar on the side

Texture fixes (if you want to dial it in)

  • Too soft to slice: next time reduce total added liquid by ~30–50 g or add the 20 g potato starch.
  • Too firm/crumbly: add ~30–50 g more liquid next time.
Read it online: https://wayfarerspantry.com/thepantry/recipe/lo-bok-go-cantonese-turnip-cake/