Turnip cake
This is actually made from what you guys know as Japanese daikon radish, combined with rice flour. Pictures first since some people may not be familiar with this!
Okay, now you know what it is. Generally, most dim sum places will have the pan-fried turnip cake. Some older traditional ones will also have steamed turnip cake. I'll talk about the pan-fried one here since you guys will rarely have the opportunity to sample the delicious and healthier steamed version.
So what this is is basically turnip and rice flour. These ingredients are not flavour-dense. Hence, other things are added. Generally, things added are dried shrimps, dried mushrooms, and Chinese-style sausage. There are a few things which determine the yumminess of this:
The pan-frying must be done skilfully. For example, it should be slightly charred, but not burnt. The inside should be warm or hot, but not cold.
The less oil there is from the pan-frying, the better. Generally speaking, in Cantonese food, less oil = good. This shows the skill of the chef, because it is harder to pan fry with less oil, at least in traditional woks. It is also healthier.
The rice flour must be high quality. When biting into it, low quality rice flour will have a starchy effect, sort of like when you bite into a crappy apple it feels bad even though the taste is the same. Good quality rice flour will have that slightly chewy consistency, sort of like good rice noodle rolls.
Secondly, the radish strips should be noticeable. You don't want them to be too thick, which would affect the consistency of the cake, but not finely ground sticks either. It is more of a personal preference as to how much radish should be in the dish.
Thirdly, the flavouring ingredients such as dried shrimp and Chinese sausage, should be proportioned in a reasonable manner. You don't want too much or too little.
Of course, it should be served hot right after being pan-fried. Usually it is served with an optional chilli sauce, which you can use if you desire more flavour. I don't partake in chilliness, usually.
The variation between good and bad turnip cake is very large.
garcia1000 loves this! He will order one every time.