Bánh Củ Cải (Turnip Cake)

I never miss a chance to get these at dim sum places... they are so good! However, I sometimes get cravings for them, but not for everything dim sum entails, so I just make them. Hope you enjoy!

Bánh Củ Cải (Turnip Cake)
Savor. Devour.

Materials:

· 1 cup rice flour

· 2 tbsp tapioca starch

· 1.5 cups water

· ¼ cup dried shrimp, soaked in water for two hours and coarsely minced (I usually just take a handful, no need for exact measurements)

· 1 Chinese sausage link, washed and coarsely minced (I wash these sausages by soaking them for a minute under really hot water)

· 2 fried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for two hours and coarsely minced

· 1.5 cups grated daikon radish

· 1.5 tsp salt, 1.5 tsp pepper, a pinch of sugar

· ¼ cup chopped green onions

· ¼ cup minced onion bulb

· Dipping: 2 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tsp vinegar + optional rooster chili paste

Procedures:

· In a hot pan with a tsp of oil, add the onion, mushroom, Chinese sausage, and dried shrimp. Fry for a minute or two, then add the grated daikon. Season.

· In a bowl, add the flour and starch. Mix well with 3/4 cup cold water. Add in ¾ cup hot water and mix well.

· Add the fried ingredients into the flour mixture and mix well. Pour into a steamable pan of some sort. I use a casserole dish.

· Steam on medium heat for 45 minutes, opening the lid to let the air out for a few seconds every ten minutes.

· Let the turnip cake cool. You can continue to the next step or store it in your fridge for up to 4 days.

· When you are ready to eat it, cut it into 3 inch by 3 inch squares and fry them with a drizzle of oil. Serve with the dipping sauce.