Daikon Cakes (Lo Bak Go)

1⅓ cups rice flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 cups room temperature water⁣

10 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and finely diced

1 small carrot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 lb Daikon radish, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

Oil for cooking⁣

In a medium bowl, whisk together rice flour, salt, white pepper, and water until incorporated. Set batter aside.

Heat a large cast iron or non-stick pan with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms until they start to brown, about 3–5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for another minute or so. Add the grated daikon, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and continue to cook until the daikon turns translucent and all the water has evaporated. 

Give the batter a good stir and add it to the pan with the daikon mixture. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Steam the cake over high heat for about 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool down completely, then refrigerate overnight. 

The next day, slice the cake into ¾" thick pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Fry the cake slices for a minute on each side, until golden. Serve with soy sauce, chili oil, and fresh scallions!