Lo Baak Gou, Chinese Steamed Turnip Cake. A delicious traditional Cantonese dish, often served as part of Dim Sum.
Lo Baak Gou - Chinese Turnip Cake! Gosh, this has so many variations in name, depending on which part of the Far East you are from.
These are SOME of the names... Lo Bak Goh, lo baak gou, turnip cake, Chai tow kway, daikon, chinese white radish cake, lo pak ko, lo bak gou. SO I am hoping by seeing the photos and the description you will find this is the recipe you are searching for!
When do you eat Lo Baak Gou?
Traditionally, this wonderful dish forms part of Dim Sum and is usually cut into square-shaped pieces, pan-fried just before serving, and accompanied with a simple tasty soy & sweet chili sauce. It should be served hot.
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Often, you will find there is not much filling or treasures in this cake if you eat it at a 'low cost' restaurant, and the turnip will make up most of the cake.
However, since you are making this at home, you can pack it full of treasures and enjoy all the wonderful flavors, textures, and aromas this lovely cake offers.
Lo Baak Gou is also served at Chinese New Year as the turnip/white radish signifies Good Fortune.
My family (mother and grandmother) have been making this for many years and now I want to share their recipe with you all. Please enjoy!
Ingredients:
35 oz or 1 Kg turnip, peel off the skin and grated (See photo of Chinese Turnip above)
1 tsp chopped ginger
Batter:
7 oz or 200 g rice flour
5 tsp or 25 g corn starch
7 fl oz or 250 ml water
Filling:
2 oz or 50 g dry shrimps, wash and cut small
4 Chinese sausages, cut into small pieces (I use pork lap cheong)
16 medium-size Chinese mushrooms, wash and soak in hot water for 30 min, cut into small pieces
5 dried scallops, wash and soak in hot water for 30 min, shred apart into small pieces
2 spring onions/scallions, chopped small
Seasoning:
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp chicken essence
Dipping Sauce:
3 tsp soy sauce and some sweet chili sauce
Instructions:
1. Prepare all your ingredients first, chop, grate, slice etc!
A tip, if you have a food processor, use that to grate the turnip. It will only take seconds that way! Add water to a steamer that is large enough to fit the pan.
2. Line the bottom of a round spring form cake pan (8 - 9 inches) with parchment or foil then brush oil on the surface and sides of the pan. If you have a bamboo steamer, use that.
3. In a frying pan or wok (try and use a large pan) add 2 Tbsp Oil then add dried shrimps, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, scallops, and fry for 5 minutes. Place contents into a bowl and set aside.
4. Add some more oil to the frypan (no need to wash it first). Then add all the grated turnip and fry for 5 minutes. When the time is up, add the chopped ginger
5. Make up the batter in a separate bowl and stir until all are combined. Then add the batter and seasoning ingredients to the turnip and combine well, and then turn down the heat.
6. Add ¾ of the spring onion/scallions and ¾ of the filling which you set aside, and combine well, keep on a low heat until the mix is 'dry'.
7. Once the mixture has dried out a bit, transfer the contents of the pan to your springform bake pan and use the back of a spoon to even the surface. Then add the remaining ¼ of the filling on the surface and push down a little bit.
8. Place in a steamer for 1 - 1 ½ hrs, check after 1 hr if a toothpick comes out clean it's done.
A few minutes before the end cook time, sprinkle the remaining spring onions scallions on the top, return the steamer lid for a couple of minutes then switch off the heat. Remove from the steamer and allow to completely cool.
Tip:
Please do not try to cut the slices until this has completely cooled. It will be too soft and may fall apart.
For best results, allow to firm up in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before slicing. To slice, these are nice about 1 inch thick and square/ rectangle shape is usual!
9. To fry the slices: Add some oil to a fry pan and place the slices in the pan. When golden brown, turn them over and brown the other side. Drain on kitchen paper.
10. Serve with soy sauce and or sweet chili sauce in small dipping bowls and enjoy!
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our post. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!
Recipe Card
Lo Baak Gou, Chinese Turnip Cake
Lo Baak Gou, Chinese Steamed Turnip Cake. A delicious traditional Cantonese dish, often served as part of Dim Sum
Ingredients
- 35 oz or 1 Kg turnip, peel off the skin and grated
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
Batter:
- 7 oz or 200 g rice flour
- 5 tsp or 25 g corn starch
- 7 oz fl or 250 ml water
Filling:
- 2 oz or 50 g dry shrimps, wash and cut small
- 4 pieces Chinese sausages, cut into small (I use pork lap cheong)
- 16 in medium size Chinese mushrooms, wash and soak hot water for 30 min, cut into small pieces
- 5 in dried scallops, wash and soak hot water for 30 min, shred apart into small pieces
- 2 spring onions / scallions, chopped small
Seasoning:
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chicken essence
Dipping Sauce:
- 3 tsp soy sauce and some sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients first, chop, grate,slice etc!
- A tip, if you have a food processor, use that to grate the turnip. It will only take seconds that way! Add water to a steamer which is large enough to fit the pan.
- Line the bottom of a round spring form cake pan (8 - 9 inches) with parchment or foil then brush oil on the surface and sides of the pan
- In a fry pan or wok (try and use a large pan) add 2 Tbsp Oil then add dried shrimps, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, scallops,and fry for 5 minutes. Place contents into a bowl and set aside.
- Add some more oil to the fry pan (no need to wash it first). Then add all the grated turnip and fry for 5 minutes. When the time is up, add the chopped ginger.
- Make up the batter in a separate bowl and stir until all combined. Then add the batter and seasoning ingredients to the turnip and combine well, and then turn down the heat.
- Add ¾ of the spring onion / scallions and ¾ of the filling which you set aside, and combine well, keep on a low heat until the mix is 'dry'.
- Once the mixture has dried out a bit, transfer the contents of the pan to your spring form bake pan and use the back of a spoon to even the surface.Then add the remaining ¼ of the filling on the surface and push down a little bit.
- Place in a steamer for 1 - 1 ½ hrs, check after 1 hr if a toothpick comes out clean it's done. A few minutes before the end cook time, sprinkle the remaining spring onions scallions on the top, return the steamer lid for a couple of minutes then switch off heat. Remove from the steamer and allow to completely cool.
- **** Please do not try to cut the slices until this has completely cooled. It will be too soft and may fall apart. For best results, allow to firm up in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before slicing. To slice, these are nice about 1 inch thick and square/ rectangle shape is usual!
- To fry the slices: Add some oil to a fry pan and place the slices in the pan. When golden brown, turn them over and brown the other side. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Serve with soy sauce and or sweet chili sauce in small dipping bowls and enjoy!
Recommended Products
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VonShef Premium 2 Tier Bamboo Steamer with Stainless Steel Banding Includes 2 Pairs of Chopsticks and 50 Wax Steamer Liners, Perfect For Steaming Dim Sum Dumplings Buns Vegetables Fish Rice, 10 Inches
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Instant Pot DUO Plus 60, 6 Qt 9-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer
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Anolon Advanced Hard-Anodized Nonstick 14-Inch Covered Wok, Gray
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 777mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g
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Tracey
says:Can I please ask what chicken essence is?
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Tracey, chicken essence usually comes in a yellow tin which you can get from any Chinese supermarket. If you can’t find it, crush a stick cube so it’s like powder and that will also work! Hope that helps
savoryexperiments
says:Interesting. I’ve never had Chinese Turnip Cake, but I like all of the ingredients, so I’m sure I would enjoy it!
Rebecca Brosemer
says:I have never heard of this but it sounds delish! New foods are always fun to try :)
lovefoodies
says:Thank you! It’s perfect for celebrating Chinese New Year next month!
Debi @ Life Currents
says:This looks like so much fun! I love trying new foods! Thanks!
lovefoodies
says:Thank you Debi! You can also do a vegetarian version without the Chinese Sausage and it is also superlicious! So I hope you will try it soon!
Michelle De La Cerda-Nash
says:I haven’t had a dish like this in years…like two decades! Can’t wait to try yours.
lovefoodies
says:Yes, you must indeed! I’m sure even just the smells will take you down memory lane! Thank you :)
Shauna Smart
says:We always celebrate Chinese New Year. We’ll have to try this!
lovefoodies
says:Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Linda (Meal Planning Maven)
says:Your dish looks absolutely intriguing and I would love to learn how to make it! I believe we can sometimes find Chinese turnips at our farmers’ markets…I will definitely be on the lookout!
lovefoodies
says:Thanks Linda, it is a very nice recipe with tons of flavours, all combined, they marry together nicely.
Please enjoy!
KC Kahn
says:I love learning about other holiday traditions! :)
lovefoodies
says:Now you have to learn ‘Kung Hei Fat Choi’ = Happy Chinese New Year :)
nettie
says:Looks amazing! I have tried something similar when I was in Hong Kong! Nettie
lovefoodies
says:Wow! I never knew you had been to Hong Kong. I hope you had a nice visit!
nettie
says:It was many years ago, I hope to return this year.
lovefoodies
says:you must let me know if you do! I will give you some nice places to visit for sure! It has changed very much over the years!
nettie
says:Thank you so much! I will, I am so excited! Nettie
Serena Bakes
says:What an interesting recipe! Yum!