Guangdong Province — Cantonese New Year and dim sum tradition
Steamed then pan-fried rice flour cake with shredded daikon, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, and dried mushrooms. A cornerstone of Cantonese dim sum and Hong Kong New Year tradition. After steaming, the cake is cooled, sliced, and pan-fried until golden with crispy outer layer and soft, moist interior. Each family and restaurant has a proprietary filling ratio.
Mild, starchy rice cake enriched by lap cheong, shrimp, and mushroom; the pan-fried crust is the contrast to the soft interior — hearty and satisfying
{"Rice flour batter: rice flour dissolved in water; cooked daikon and its liquid added — the daikon liquid incorporates naturally into batter","Filling: lap cheong, dried shrimp, dried mushroom — fry separately before mixing into batter","Steam in loaf tin or round tin 30–45 minutes until firm and set throughout","Pan-fry after cooling: slice 1.5cm thick; fry in oil with light press for golden crust"}
{"Best ratio: 30% turnip/daikon by weight in batter; more results in too soft a cake, less is too dense","Pan-fry and serve with hoisin sauce and chilli sauce — the classic dim sum combination","New Year version sometimes uses 'five flavours' (wu xiang) seasoning for festive character"}
{"Not cooking batter until thickened before adding to tin — results in uneven texture","Slicing while still warm — crumbles without proper cooling/setting time","Too little oil for pan-frying — sticks and tears instead of developing crust"}
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper — Fuchsia Dunlop