Go Back

Chai Tow Kway – Fried Radish Cake Recipe

Ingredients

For the Radish Cake:

  • 600 g of shredded White Radish (Daikon)
  • 3 Tablespoons of Water
  • 200 g Rice Flour
  • 250 ml Water
  • Salt
  • Sugar

For the Stir Frying Ingredients:

  • for 1 quarter of radish cake prepared
  • 2 Tbsp of Peanut Oil (reserve another 1 tsp for later)
  • 1 Tbsp of Shallot Oil
  • 1 Tbsp of Garlic (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp of Lap Cheong (Chinese sausage) (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp of Preserved Turnip (Chai Poh)
  • 1 tsp of Chilli Paste (adjust if you prefer it spicier)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp of Fish Sauce
  • Dash of Ground White Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp of Spring Onions/Scallions (sliced)
  • 1 handful of Bean Sprouts
  • 1 Red Chilli (sliced)
  • Coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Instructions

  • Add 3 tablespoons of water to the shredded radish. Steam radish in wok until it turns translucent. This should take about 25 – 30 mins on low flame. Take radish out and leave it aside to cool.
  • To prepare the flour mixture, add a pinch of salt and sugar into the flour. Mix flour into 250ml of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly to remove any lumps.
  • Combine the cooled radish with the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
  • Pour your final mixture into a cake tin and steam with a wok for 30 – 35 minutes over a medium-high flame.
  • Take the radish cake out and leave it to cool for a few hours or overnight in a refrigerator. This will allow the cake to firm up.
  • To stir fry, cut out 1 quarter of the radish cake and keep the rest in the refrigerator.
  • Cut the quarter into smaller chunks.
  • Heat peanut oil and shallot oil in a "seasoned" wok on medium-high heat. Add in your radish cake.
  • Fry till the edges are brown and crispy-looking (if you prefer a crunchier texture on the outside, leave it to brown further).
  • Add in garlic, lap cheong and preserved turnip. At this stage, you might find that the wok is a little dry. If that’s the case, add another teaspoon of oil. Fry till garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the chilli paste. Stir ingredients and add the eggs in. Add the fish sauce and a dash of white pepper.
  • Toss in the sliced red chillies and some spring onions. Fry till the egg cooks.
  • Add the remaining sliced spring onions and a handful of bean sprouts in and fry for a further 5-10 seconds. Turn the flame off. Give a quick stir before plating up.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes

Try the "dark" version as well. Just add in Thick/Dark Soy Sauce (Cheong Chan Thick Caramel Sauce) at the same time as the fish sauce and white ground pepper.
Adapted from Ms I-Hua's 2010 Recipe Post.