Law Bok Gow

(Chinese steamed radish cake)

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Law bok gow is a favorite Cantonese dim sum treat, especially popular during Chinese New Year celebrations. Usually called daikon, turnip or radish cake in English, it is really more of a savory pudding. The recipe below is very basic, but law bok gow is normally studded with savory garnishes and lightly fried on both sides until golden brown. Sometimes spelled luo buo gow or lo bark goh.

6 to 8 servings as dim sum

Ingredients

Large daikon radish, peeled -- 2 pounds
Rice flour -- 2 cups
Water -- 1 cup
Soy sauce -- 1 tablespoon
Sugar -- 2 teaspoons
Salt -- 1 teaspoon
White pepper -- 1/2 teaspoon
Optional garnishes (see variations) -- 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Vegetable or peanut oil -- 2 to 3 tablespoons

Method

Finely grate the daikon into a large bowl. In another bowl, add the rice flour and stir in 1/2 cup of the water until a smooth thick batter forms. Next stir in the grated daikon, soy sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper and any optional garnishes. Add enough of the remaining water to make a pourable batter.
Grease a loaf pan or a 9-inch square cake pan and pour in the batter, smoothing the top.
Set a rack in a wok or pot large enough to hold the pan and put 2 to 3 inches of water in the bottom. Make sure the rack is above the water. Place the pan on top of the rack and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cover the wok or pot tightly, reduce heat to medium low and steam for 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours. Check the water level occasionally to keep it from drying out. The radish cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the pan, wrap with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until well chilled.
Invert the pan onto a cutting board and slice the cake into squares. Heat the oil in a large saute pan and saute the squares on each side until lightly browned. Serve warm with soy sauce or oyster sauce for dipping.

Law Bok Gow Variations

Make sure to use long-grain rice flour for this recipe. Do not use short-grain, or glutinous, rice flour.
Optional garnishes: add any or all of these garnishes to your law bok gow for a more flavorful experience. Lightly sauté the ingredients in some oil or lard and then stir them into the batter once they have cooled.
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 2 Chinese sausages, chopped into small pieces
- Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft, drained and finely chopped
- Dried shrimp, soaked in hot water 30 minutes, drained and finely chopped
- Cilantro, chopped
The grated daikon is sometimes simmered for about an hour first and then drained and squeezed before adding it to the batter.