Steamed daikon radish cake with shiitake and dried shrimp
A light, home-steamed Cantonese radish cake with shiitake and a little dried shrimp — savoury, low in sugar and fat, and never fried.
- 1 hr 25 min
- Serves 4
- Steam
- Medium
Why it suits you: Phlegm-Dampness brings heaviness, tiredness and phlegm. Daikon is at its sweetest around Minor Snow and clears phlegm and bloating, shiitake strengthens digestion, and steaming rather than frying keeps this cake low in fat and sugar — a small, savoury portion.
Method
Prep 25 min · Cook 60 min- 1Soak the shiitake and dried shrimp separately until soft. Stem and dice the mushrooms and chop the shrimp. Peel the radish and coarsely grate it.
- 2Mix the rice flour with the 200 ml water into a smooth batter. Heat the oil in a wok and gently fry the shiitake and shrimp until fragrant, then set aside.
- 3Add the grated radish to the wok with the salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until translucent — keep all the juices.
- 4Turn the heat to low, stir in the batter and the shiitake mixture quickly until very thick, then spread into an oiled 7-inch (18 cm) steaming tin.
- 5Steam over high heat for 45–50 minutes, until a chopstick comes out clean. Let it cool before slicing.
- 6Steam 2 slices for each tea break; at the office, microwave for 1 minute — no need to pan-fry.
Cautions
- Dried shrimp is a shellfish — if you are allergic, leave it out and add 2 more shiitake.
Chef's tips
- Chill the steamed cake overnight for neat slices. It keeps 4 days in the fridge, or freeze slices for up to a month.
- Choose heavy daikon with smooth skin — around Minor Snow it is at its sweetest and juiciest.
The TCM view
Daikon radish is pungent, sweet and cool; it moves qi downward, clears phlegm and aids digestion. Shiitake is sweet and neutral and strengthens qi and digestion. Rice is sweet and neutral and supports the spleen; white pepper (pungent, hot) and dried shrimp (sweet, warm) balance the radish's coolness. Steamed, not fried, it resolves phlegm without adding dampness.
