Savory Chinese Turnip Pancakes
User Reviews
5
Savory Chinese Turnip Pancakes
Description
This recipe begins with prepping ingredients including diced Chinese sausage or smoky bacon, rinsed and chopped dried shrimp (optional), chopped scallions, and grated daikon radish. These are folded into a batter of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, egg, water, and toasted sesame seeds. Pancakes are cooked in a lightly oiled pan with additional sesame seeds sprinkled on top, crisping each side to a golden brown.
The pancakes balance the subtle moistness from radish with the smoky richness from sausage and savory depth from dried shrimp. Toasted sesame seeds provide a nutty aroma and crunch. The dipping sauce enhances the dish and can be adjusted to taste, offering sweetness, tanginess, or spiciness.
This recipe yields about four large pancakes, typically one per serving, making it a hearty appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
For the Pancakes:
- 1 Chinese sausage (lop cheung – a few slices of good, thick-cut, smoky bacon can also be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)
- 2 scallions
- 1 cup daikon radish (or Chinese white turnip, grated)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted
- vegetable oil (for cooking)
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon scallion (chopped)
Instructions
- Rinse the dried sausage, dice it up, and set aside. If using bacon, simply cook the bacon until it’s crisp and still a bit chewy, and then dice. If using the dried shrimp, rinse in warm water, and give them a rough chop. Wash and chop the scallions. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the scallion for the dipping sauce.
- Wash and peel your turnip/radish. Grate 1 cup.
- Make the batter by putting the flour, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, egg, water, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds into a mixing bowl and combining thoroughly. Fold in the sausage, shrimp, scallions (minus 1 tablespoon for the dipping sauce) and grated turnip.
- Before you make your pancakes, make your dipping sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. There are no rules for this sauce! Make it spicy, make it sweet, make it vinegar-y with some black Chinese vinegar…
- Heat the pan over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan. Sprinkle some sesame seeds onto the pan and spoon about ½ cup of the batter on top of the sesame seeds. Use a spatula to quickly spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan and form a round pancake. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds on top.
- Let the pancake cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip the pancake and press it down a bit. Add a little more oil to the pan if it’s dried out. Once that side is also golden brown, flip the pancake again and cook on the first side for a minute. Flip again and cook the second side for another minute. So if you’re counting, you’re cooking each side twice. This gets the pancakes really nice and crispy.
- Cut into wedges and serve with your sauce.
Notes
- Makes four large pancakes, serving one per person.
- Dipping sauce can be customized with spices or vinegar to taste.
- Chinese sausage provides smoky flavor; can be substituted with thick-cut bacon.
- Dried shrimp add umami but are optional.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 271 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 271kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 1123mg | 47% |
| Potassium | 159mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 135IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 7.8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 92mg | 9% |
| Iron | 3.1mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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