The Best Turnip Cake Recipe

Today we’ll be cooking the most delicious turnip cake! Chinese New Year is just right around the corner. It’s on February 12th this year. To celebrate Chinese New Year, I’m partnering with Knorr in the next several weeks. I’ll be sharing with you a series of must eat Chinese New Year dishes.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, Knorr is going to have an awesome sweepstakes. From Jan 5th to Jan 31st, there will be 10 winners. Those lucky winners will receive $1000 worth of kitchen supplies, including a high quality cast iron induction cooker and an amazing Knorr gift basket.

To enter the sweepstakes, use Knorr Chicken Broth Mix, Knorr Liquid Seasoning, or Knorr Bouillon Cubes. Cook your family’s favorite Chinese New Year dishes, take a picture of the dish, and upload it to Knorr’s website.

*** KNORR SWEEPSTAKES: https://www.cookwithknorr.com/sweepstakes

The Best Turnip Cake Recipe

Serve 8×8 turnip cake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Rest time: Overnight and 3 hours
Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

For the fillings:
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
2 tablespoons dried shrimp, rinsed
2 1/2 cups water, separated
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
2 Chinese sausages, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk scallions, white part, minced
2 pounds Chinese white radish, peeled and grated (6 cups)

For the batter:
1 package rice flour (1 pound)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons Knorr chicken broth mix
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
(2 1/2 cups reserved liquid)

Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons Knorr liquid seasoning
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 stalk scallion, green part, chopped

For pan-frying:
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil

Tools:
1 large pan
1 8×8 cake pan
1 large steamer
1 flat bottom pan
1 measurement cup
Prep bowls

Instructions

To prepare ingredients:

Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in 2 cups of water overnight. Then chop them into small pieces. Reserve the water.

Rehydrate the dried shrimp in 1/2 cup of water for 2 hours. Then chop it into small pieces. Reserve the water.

To prepare the fillings:

In a pan, over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon of extra light olive oil (you can also use other type of cooking oil), and the chopped Chinese sausage, stir-fry for 1 minute. Also, add the shiitake the mushrooms, and the dried shrimp. Stir-fry until aromatic, 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and the white part of the scallions, and cook until the aroma comes out for 30 seconds. Take it out and set it aside.

In the pan, over high heat, add in the Chinese white radish, and all the reserved soaking water from the dried shiitake mushrooms and shrimp. Stir a little. Cover the lid and cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stir occasionally. Turn off the heat.

Take out the Chinese white radish and drain. Try to get as much liquid out as possible. Measure the liquid. It should be 2 1/2 cups. (If it’s more, discard a little. If it’s less, then add a little more water.) Wait until it’s slightly cool for 10 minutes.

To make the batter:

In a large bowl, add the rice flour, cornstarch, Knorr chicken broth mix, (Knorr chicken broth mix will help to boost chicken umami flavors. You could also use it in soup, stir-fry, or as a part of your marinade.) salt, white pepper, sugar, and extra light olive oil. Pour in the liquid, and whisk together until smooth.

In the same pan, over low heat, return the Chinese white radish and Chinese sausage-shiitake mushrooms-dried shrimp mixture back to the pan. Also pour in the batter. Mix until the batter is thickened, 2 minutes.

To steam the turnip cake:

In an 8×8 cake pan, grease the pan with cooking oil, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Pour the radish batter into the cake pan.

In a large steamer, over high heat, bring water to a boil. Place the cake pan inside. Cover the lid. Steam for 1 hour.

To make the dipping sauce:

In a bowl, add in all the ingredients: Knorr liquid seasoning, (Use Knorr liquid seasoning for even tastier and more sumptuous dishes. You can use it to cook any savory dishes, as a dipping sauce, in stir-fry, or as a part of your marinade.) rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and scallions. Whisk. Set aside.

To pan-fry the turnip cake:

Let the turnip cake cool down completely.

Flip it down on a cutting board. Cut the turnip cake into 1-inch slices.

In a flat bottom pan, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil, and place the turnip cake in the pan. Cook until lightly browned, 30 seconds on each side.

Serve with dipping sauce.