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Chinese Daikon Cake with Sausage and Seafood

A traditional Chinese dish that combines tender daikon with savory sausage and seafood, creating a delicious cake perfect for family gatherings and special occasions.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 180

Ingredients
  

For the filling
  • 40 g Chinese sausage, diced Look for brands like Beech Mountain or Lap Cheong for authenticity.
  • 2 Tbsp dried shrimp Make sure they’re quality, dried rather than salted.
  • 12-15 g dried shiitake mushrooms About 3 medium pieces, try to get shiitakes from a reputable Asian market for best flavor.
  • 20-25 g dried scallops Optional; adds tremendous flavor—look for premium brands.
For the cake
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 750 g daikon, unpeeled weight Choose firm, fresh daikon for the best texture.
  • 130 g rice flour Make sure it’s gluten-free if needed.
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tapioca starch
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp table salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 2 Tbsp oil I recommend using sesame oil for depth of flavor.
For serving
  • Soy sauce and hot sauce Optional, for serving.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Rinse the dried scallops, shrimp, and mushrooms quickly under cold water. Soak them in 1 cup of hot water until fully hydrated (about 3 hours). Drain and reserve that soaking water. Shred the scallops, finely dice the mushrooms, and roughly chop the shrimp.
  2. Peel the daikon and shred it into juliennes. The finer you shred, the better the overall texture will be!
Cooking
  1. In a wok over medium-low heat, cook the diced Chinese sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Then add the mushrooms, scallops, and shrimp; sauté for another 3 minutes. Remove everything from the wok.
  2. Toss the shredded daikon in the same wok over medium-high heat until it slightly wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Add the reserved soaking water, cover, and let it cook for 7-10 minutes until fully cooked. Drain the daikon and set it aside.
  3. Measure out the cooking liquid from the daikon (should be about 1 cup). In a large mixing bowl, combine this liquid with the daikon, mushroom mixture, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil. Mix well!
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together rice flour and tapioca starch. Slowly add this mixture into the warm daikon juice, combining thoroughly.
  5. Heat the combined mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a paste—this should take about 5 minutes.
  6. Grease a pan (about 8×8 inches). Pour the thickened daikon mixture into it, smoothing the top.
  7. Place the pan in a steamer basket and steam on medium heat for about 1 hour. Make sure a steady steam is maintained.
  8. Allow the cake to cool completely, then cut it into 1-inch thick pieces. Heat oil in your wok over medium-high heat and pan-fry the pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes.
Serving
  1. Serve warm with soy sauce and hot sauce for that extra kick!

Notes

Fresh ingredients yield the best results. Leftover daikon cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Prepare the daikon cake a day in advance and simply reheat it for serving. You can also customize by adding more seafood or using your favorite vegetables.