This year, Apple killed the iPod after 20 years. It was a reminder that genius isn’t always the first leap, but sometimes that next leap or even the one after that. Steve Jobs was a genius for inventing the Mac, but he sold many more iPods, and many more iPhones after that. What’s that got to do with Lo Bak Go?
Growing up my mom made Lo Bak Go, the steamed “white” version. It was good, but… Only years later did I realize that the tasty pan-fried version at the dim sum restaurant was basically the same thing, just the next step. Absolutely brilliant! Keep that in mind as you try this recipe.
So where to begin? Let’s start with the name. At your dim sum restaurant, this is usually listed as “turnip cake” or Lo Bak Go. But it isn’t made with turnip. It’s made with Asian white radish or what is known in America as Japanese radish or daikon. Got that. Now here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 or 2 pound daikon (Japanese radish)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups of water
- ½ cup of dried shrimp
- 1 Chinese sausage (lop cheung)
- 1 Chinese-style cured pork strip (pork belly)
- 1 scallion
- 8 ounces (1 cup) of rice flour
- Dash of salt and pepper
What Next:
- It starts with daikon or Japanese radish. It doesn’t come only from Japan but the Japanese name is more popular in America – even in Chinese markets – than the Chinese name (something like “bailuobo” or white radish). You’ll need one that is a pound and a half or two pounds. (A note of caution: In our household, my parents, and my wife – they don’t measure anything. But like I say, trust me…)
- You can grate the daikon, or my wife prefers cutting it into long narrow strips – the French call it a “julienne” cut.
- Dice one of the Chinese-style cured pork strips (or pork belly). Chop up some dried shrimp, after washing and soaking. Dice one Chinese sausage (lop cheung). Cook or stir fry in a wok or pan.
- Place the cut daikon in a pot, and add 1 cup of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Place the cooked daikon into a mixing bowl. You’re also going to add what’s left of the whitish water left over from cooking the daikon, but add a little more water so that you’re back to the 1 cup you started with. Next add HALF of the 16-ounce bag of Chinese rice flour. You can season with a little salt and pepper.
- To the daikon mixture, add the cooked pork strips, dried shrimp and Chinese sausage. Heat the entire mixture for a couple of minutes to thicken it.
- My wife then poured all of this into a well-oiled pie pan. The next to final step is to steam the Lo Bak Go for about 30 to 40 minutes. Once it’s cooked, sprinkle the chopped scallion on top. When it’s cooled, you can eat this “white version.” Which is good.
- But even better, remember what I said about the iPod and the iPhone. Take the next step. Cool the Lo Bak Go overnight in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat it, cut it into chocolate fudge-like pieces. And then pan fry it. Just trust me, golden and crispy is best. Pure genius!
