Best 2 Chinese New Year Turnip Cake Recipes

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the year in Chinese culture. Originating thousands of years ago, the festival is celebrated with family gatherings, gift-giving, and extravagant feasts. Among the many dishes served during Chinese New Year, turnip cake is a classic delicacy that holds both symbolic and culinary significance. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the world of turnip cake, exploring its cultural importance, traditional recipes, and innovative variations that cater to modern tastes. From choosing the right ingredients to mastering the art of steaming or frying this delectable dish, we will provide you with all the information you need to create a mouthwatering turnip cake that will be the star of your Chinese New Year celebration.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

CHINESE TURNIP CAKE (萝白糕)

Chinese Turnip Cake (萝白糕) image

Learn how to make this classic Cantonese dim sum dish & Chinese New Year favorite!

Provided by Made With Lau

Categories main course

Time 1h10m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 lb Chinese turnip
8 oz regular rice flour
1.5 cups water
1 oz dried shrimp
1 piece Chinese sausage
1.5 tsp salt
1 tbsp corn oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp chicken bouillon
0.5 tsp white pepper
2 pieces green onion

Steps:

We'll be prepping several ingredients here:
We'll need to cook everything for a bit and add some flavors before it becomes a turnip cake mix that we can steam.
While our wok is cooking, we'll prepare our cake pan by:
Slowly add the rice flour mixture. Make you do not pour it all in at once and that you continuously stir the mixture to ensure you don't produce lumps.
To tell if the cake is done, you can stick a chopstick straight into the pan.
While the cake pan is still in the steamer, we'll sprinkle some of our leftover Chinese sausage onto the pan and cover it for 30 seconds.
Once it's cooled, you can take the turnip cake out from the pan however you'd like, but my dad has a pretty elegant sequence:

CHINESE NEW YEAR TURNIP CAKE

Chinese New Year Turnip Cake image

This is not a dessert (not sweet), but more like a 'quick bread' for the Chinese. This 'cake' is usually made and eaten during the Chinese New Year or its slices are usually found all year round among the Dim-Sums in the Chinese restaurants. You can chill it in the fridge, but it should always be eaten hot after re-heating either in the microwave, or frying in a few tablespoons of oil. This cake can be kept for 1 week in the fridge (but usually it's finished within a day!!)

Provided by Member 610488

Categories Breads

Time 1h20m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked overnight in water
1/3 cup dried shrimp, soaked in water overnight and drained
1 lb pork sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 slices fresh gingerroot
3 turnips, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granule
1 tablespoon white pepper
2/3 lb rice flour

Steps:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, shrimp and sausages and sauté for 1/2 minute.
Remove from skillet and set aside. Heat 1 more tablespoon oil in wok/skillet. Add ginger and sauté a bit.
Add shredded turnips and stir fry for about 3 minutes (do NOT remove turnip water). Add 5-spice powder, salt, chicken bouillon and white pepper and toss all together until evenly distributed.
Extract ginger slices from mixture.
Turn off heat. Top turnip mixture with rice flour and use chopsticks to toss and mix flour in evenly. Add reserved sausage mixture and toss to mix inches.
Remove mixture from wok/skillet and place into a 9x2 inch deep round cake pan.
Clean wok/skillet, fill with water and bring to a boil. Place cake pan on a round wire rack over boiling water.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer, steaming cake 'batter', for 45 minutes. (Note: you can also use a large bamboo steamer if you have one).
When 'cake' is steamed through, slice into pieces and serve hot or cool on wire rack before covering tightly with plastic wrap and placing in refrigerator to chill.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 608.4, Fat 28.1, SaturatedFat 7.8, Cholesterol 54.5, Sodium 1342.1, Carbohydrate 73.8, Fiber 7, Sugar 3.3, Protein 18.8

Tips:

To make the turnip cake more flavorful, use a variety of root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes.
If you don't have a steamer, you can cook the turnip cake in a pan over medium heat, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
To make the turnip cake crispy, pan-fry it in a little oil until golden brown.
Serve the turnip cake with your favorite dipping sauce, such as soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or chili sauce.
Store the turnip cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Conclusion:

Turnip cake is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a snack, side dish, or main course. It is a popular dish during Chinese New Year, but it can be enjoyed all year round. With a little creativity, you can easily customize the turnip cake to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a tasty and satisfying dish, give turnip cake a try!