Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go)

The night before:

1. Rinse and soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water.

The day of:

1. Once rehydrated and softened, remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid and squeeze out any excess liquid.
2. Note: Save the water from soaking the mushrooms to use in the batter later.

Cook the fillings:

1. Heat a wok or large pot over medium high heat.
2. Add in the Chinese sausages (lap cheong) and sauté to render the fat.
3. Transfer the cooked Chinese sausages to a large bowl.
4. Next, add in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the wok and stir fry dried shrimps, until fragrant.
5. Remove the shrimp, and transfer them to the bowl with the Chinese sausages and add in the shiitake mushrooms. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the carrot (if using), and fry for another 2 minutes.
7. Transfer the mushrooms and carrots out of the wok and into the bowl with the Chinese sausages and shrimp. Set aside to cool.

Prepare pan:

1. Grease an 8" by 8" square pan or 2 loaf pans with some vegetable oil. Set aside.

Prepare the daikon:

1. Place the daikon into a large pot with 750ml liquid (use the mushroom soaking liquid + enough water to equal a total of 750ml).
2. Bring the daikon to a boil and turn off the heat. Let it sit on the heat.

Make the batter:

1. In a large heat-safe bowl, combine the dry ingredients: rice flour, potato starch, wheat starch, salt, sugar, 5-spice powder, and white/black pepper and give it a whisk to incorporate.
2. Add in the boiled daikon with hot liquid into flour mixture. Stir with wooden spoon.
3. The batter will thicken and cook into a thick dough.
4. Add in Chinese sausages, shrimp, mushroom and carrot and mix into the batter.
5. Transfer the thick dough into the prepared pan.

Steam the turnip cake:

1. Place the pan into a steamer or wok with water, cover with lid and steam on high heat for 30 minutes.
2. Remove lid, and sprinkle fried diced shrimp, cover and steam for 2 more minutes.
3. Remove turnip cake from heat.
4. Sprinkled chopped green onion/scallions on cake.
5. Cool the turnip cake and place into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to chill before slicing.
6. Slice the cakes to your desired thickness.

Pan-fry turnip cakes:

1. Heat up a frying pan over high heat and add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
2. Add in sliced turnip cakes and pan-fry until golden on both sides.
3. Remove from heat and serve with chili sauce and/or mustard.