White Radish Steamed Cake, Cantonese Style

1-1/3 lb. regular rice flour (non-glutinous)

4 lb. Chinese white radish (daikon), peeled and julienne grated

1/3 C dried shrimp, soaked and diced

6 T soft lard

3 t salt

1 1/4 to 1 1/3 C water

1 T chopped coriander (Chinese parsley; cilantro) leaves

1/3 C Chinese air-cured pork (laap yuk), cubed 1/2" sq.

1/3 C Chinese sausage (laap cheong), cubed 1/2" sq.

1 1/2 t white pepper

1 T sugar

1/2 t MSG (optional)

Stir-fry the diced shrimp in oil in a wok or frying pan until cracking. Add the grated white radish and salt and stir-fry until the radish is done and of a pasty consistency. Add the cubed pork and sausage, white pepper, sugar, and MSG, and mix well. Add the water to the rice flour and mix to a thick consistency. Mix thoroughly into the radish mixture while still hot. Line a pan with plastic wrap and grease the wrap. Pour in the radish mixture, and place in steamer. Steam over a high flame for 2 hours. Remove from steamer when done, cool, and garnish with the coriander. Slice to serve. Also delicious when sliced and pan fried to a golden brown.

Notes:

1. Select plump and juicy white radishes with a thin skin for best results.

2. A chopstick inserted in the center of the cake that comes out clean indicates doneness.

*Substitute for regular rice flour: Soak same amount of raw rice overnight, pour off water. Put rice and water called for in recipe into blender and blend at high speed until of an even, semiliquid consistency.

A chopstick inserted in the center of the cake that comes out clean indicates doneness.

Substitute for regular rice flour: Soak same amount of raw rice overnight, pour off water. Put rice and water called for in recipe into blender and blend at high speed until of an even, semiliquid consistency.

A chopstick inserted in the center of the cake that comes out clean indicates doneness.