Prep & measure all ingredients.

Measure, combine and mix flour, corn starch, oil, water and seasoning powder or chicken bouillon. Whisk to have a smooth batter. Keep aside.

Wash dried shrimps and soak in hot water for 5mins. Discard the water and finely chop the shrimps. Keep aside.

Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until they turn soft. Discard the water and finely chop the mushrooms. Keep aside.

Note:
We usually add dried shiitake mushrooms but we ran out of shiitake this time.

Crush and finely chop the garlic. Keep aside.

Peel and coarsely grate the radish using a grater.

Next, heat up 3 tbsp of oil in a deep pan. Add chopped garlic, chopped shrimps and chopped dried shiitake mushrooms (if using) and cook over medium heat for a minute or until aromatic.

Add grated daikon radish, 1/2 cup of water, 1 tsp of chicken bouillon or chicken seasoning powder, 1 tsp sesame oil and a pinch of white pepper powder. Over medium heat or medium low heat, stir and mix everything well. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over medium heat/medium low heat, for 3-4 minutes or until the radish mixture is translucent and tender.

Next, turn the heat to the lowest. Remove the lid. Stir the flour batter prepared earlier and pour it into the pan. Stir and mix well. Keep stirring until the mixture is cooked and the batter is thicken. Turn off the heat. Keep aside.

Prepare the steamer. Grease a cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of baking paper. Use any shape of cake pan. Transfer the radish mixture to this cake pan. Spread evenly, press and level. Apply a thin layer of corn oil or any oil on top of the cake (optional).

Steam over high heat in a ready boiling water for 35 - 45 mins and over low heat for 5-8mins. The duration is depending on the amount or size of the recipe and the size of the pan used. The cake is done if a stick or chopstick inserted comes out clean. Once done, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Next, cover with a cling film then chill in a refrigerator for 4-8 hours or overnight.

Transfer the cake out from the pan. Use sharp greased knife or a sharp knife dipped in water to Cut or slice the cake to your preferred shape.

The usual shape is usually the thick squares and the rectangular for easy searing on the pan or pan frying.

Heat 2 - 3 tbsp of oil in a non stick pan. Once the pan is hot (but not smoking hot), fry cakes on both sides until golden. Serve with sweet chili sauce, sambal or hot peanut sauce.

Note:

1. Keeping the cake in the refrigerator make it easier to slice or cut before pan frying the slices.

2. Apart from pan frying, this savoury cake is also good for stir fry. Click on the link below for our Stir Fried Steamed Radish Cake recipe.

3. Street vendors at night market usually have big thick squares of PLAIN radish cakes that would be cut or diced and then stir fry with sauces and vegetables.