Chinese Radish Cake a.k.a. Chai Tao Kuih

Chai Tao Kuih has been the favorite of many, and those ready made and sold in hawker centres or food stalls are normally just plain, but once fried it also taste delicious.  Those made from home kitchen are totally different.  This recipe which I've tried quite a while ago are extra tender and flavorful, and are loaded with extra ingredients.  It takes a little more effort but it's worth it.

Ingredients:
6 shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup dried shrimp
900g. radish (450g. after grating)
2 Chinese sausages (diced)
4 sprigs spring onions (chopped) - I leave this out as I can't get hold of it
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
150g. rice flour

Methods:

1. Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately with water and gently rub them to remove any dirt.  Place each ingredient into a different bowl.  Add hot water, cover and soak until soft.  Drain and dice into small pieces.  Set each aside.
2. Peel radish and grate into thin strips.
3. Add the Chinese sausage into a large non-stick wok and heat it over medium heat.  Cook until the sausage is lightly browned and some oil is rendered off.
4. Add the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp.  Cook and stir for 1 minute, add spring onions (if using) and stir to release the fragrance.  Transfer everything to a plate.
5. In the same wok, add the radish and 1 cup of water, cover and cook over medium heat until translucent and soft but not browned.  Taste the radish to make sure it's fully cooked through and turned very soft.  Transfer the cooked radish into a big bowl using a pair of tongs.  Squeeze out as much juice as you can, back into the pan.  Once done, transfer all the juice from the pan to a measuring cup.  Then add more water until it reaches 1 cup (no need to add extra water if you end up with a full cup).  Rest the liquid until it's slightly cooled.
6. Add rice flour and the cooled radish cooking liquid (1 cup) into the bowl with the cooked radish.  Add sugar, salt and white pepper.  Stir to mix well.  It will form a very runny batter.
7. Pour the batter back into the pan you used to cook the radish.  Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly, until the mixture has thickened just enough to draw a line on the bottom of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Prepare 1 or 2 baking dishes that can fit into your steamer.  If you need to cook in two batches, cover the uncooked batter with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.  I cook mine in one 8" x 8" baking pan.
9. Grease the pan with oil, so the radish cake will come off easily later.  Transfer the mixture into the pan.
10. Set up your steamer and bring it to boil.  Add the steaming rack with the radish cake baking pan.  Cook, covered, over medium-high heat, for 1 hour, until the turnip cake is cooked through.  You can test the doneness by inserting a knife into the cake and it should come out clean.  If your batter is slightly thicker or thinner you might need to adjust the cooking time by adding or subtracting 10 minutes.
11. Once done, remove the baking pan from the steamer and set it aside to cool.  Once the pan is no longer hot, transfer it to the fridge.  Let the radish cake set until it has cooled completely.  It is highly recommended to rest it overnight before serving, to ensure easy cutting.
12. To remove the fully chilled radish cake, use a knife to loosen the edges from the container, then turn the container upside down.  The radish cake should come out in one piece.
13. To serve, cut the turnip cakes into your preferred sizes or shapes.  Brown both sides in a heated wok coated with a thin layer of oil until heated through and the surface turns golden.
14. To store, transfer the steamed radish cakes (without pan-frying) into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.  To reheat, thaw the frozen radish cakes first, and pan fry them before serving.

I adapted this recipe from Maggie Zhu of 'omnivorescookbook.com'.