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1
Salt the shredded daikon and leave for 15 minutes. Squeeze firmly in a clean cloth until the radish is as dry as possible. Any residual moisture will make the pastry soggy.
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2
Cook the pork in a dry pan until no longer pink. Add the dried shrimp, then the squeezed daikon. Season with oyster sauce and sesame oil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before filling the pastries. The mixture must be dry and cohesive, not wet or loose.
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3
Make the water dough: combine the flour, lard, and water and knead until smooth and pliable. Make the oil paste: work the flour and lard together — no water — until a uniform, entirely fat-bound paste forms. Rest both doughs, covered, for 20 minutes; the water dough should feel relaxed and no longer spring back when pressed.
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4
This is where the dish lives or dies. Roll the water dough into a flat sheet. Spread the oil paste evenly across the surface. Roll up into a log, flatten, and fold. Repeat the rolling and folding sequence a minimum of three times. A cross-section cut after the final fold must reveal 20 or more distinct visible layers; fewer folds cannot be compensated for later.
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5
Rest the laminated dough for 10 minutes after the final fold to allow the gluten to relax. Portion into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round disc.
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6
Place a spoonful of the cooled filling at the centre of each disc. Draw the edges up and pinch firmly to seal, shaping into a neat oval or round. No filling should be visible at the seam.
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7
Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with the egg wash to which the soy sauce has been added. Bake at 190°C until the pastries are deep golden and the layers have visibly separated and bloomed. The crust should be dry to the touch and the layers clearly defined in cross-section.