Turnip cake with mushrooms and bacon recipe
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Total: 2 h 10 min Diners: 4
When we talk about turnips in Spain many get the giggles, but this turnip cake with mushrooms and bacon is serious business. Despite what you might think, it’s quite a religion in dim sum restaurants where steaming is the real deal.
Ingredients
. Turnip daikon, 650 g Rice flour, 160 g Fine corn flour (cornstarch type), 1 tablespoon Mini dried shrimp, 3 tablespoons Finely chopped bacon, 100 g Shiitake mushrooms, 3 u Water, 230 ml Salt, 2 teaspoons Sugar, 1 teaspoon Shallot or Chinese chives, 1 pc Olive oil, 2 tablespoons Ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon Oyster sauce, to go with
This starter, perfect for sharing among several, I tried it for the first time at the old and authentic Don Lay’s and I fell in love with it so much that I took it home in a pie dish. Its texture, marked by the daikon turnip and rice flour, is silky and its flavor is elegant and deep, ideal for dipping in a sauce if desired. Of course, if you wanted to, you could make a vegetarian version by leaving out the bacon (usually Chinese sausage is used) and dried shrimp and adding some other vegetable.
In Cantonese it is known as lo bak go and undoubtedly one of its keys is to use Chinese turnip – daikon – although we could also make it with national turnip, with which we would have a more delicate flavor.
Nutritional properties of turnip
According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation: “Turnips are low-energy foods; their high water content and low macronutrient content determine this.
The turnip contains appreciable amounts of various micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), it is a source of vitamin C. The consumption of 100 g of turnip meets 47% of the recommended daily intakes of that vitamin for the study population. Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells against oxidative damage and folates contribute to the normal formation of blood cells.
As in other cruciferous Vegetable Recipes (radish, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, red cabbage, etc.), the presence of phytonutrients from the glucosinolate/isothiocyanate/indoles group is prominent in its composition.”
Consumption of turnip in Spain
Due to the varieties of turnips existing today, of which in Spain about 85000 tons are harvested annually, they can be purchased at any time of the year, but it is in autumn when they gain greater presence in our markets so we are in the perfect time to take note of this cake.
How to make turnip cake with mushrooms and bacon
You could also use dried shiitake mushrooms, previously well hydrated in hot water, that same water we would use later to complement the turnip. The cooking could also be completely in a bain-marie in the oven, putting the container inside a larger one with two fingers of water and leaving the oven at 130ºC.
It can also be accompanied by the typical vinegary soy sauce of dim sum or some sweet/spicy sauce such as sweet chili to go dipping as we go consuming it, although it is advisable to first try it alone so you can taste the texture and all its flavor contrasts.
Step 1
The first thing to do is grate the turnip, peeling it beforehand. Once grated completely – we could also grind it carefully with the help of an electric grinder with the expertise that does not get to puree – we will cook it in a pan over high heat with water, about 5 minutes. Then we will have to strain it and crush it well so that it remains with the least possible water, and that we reserve the resulting water. We will need 230 ml of water of cooking of the turnip plus the one that is necessary to do later the mixture of the Chinese cake. Complete the turnip stock with the necessary water.
Step 2
Saute the finely chopped bacon with the finely chopped shiitake mushrooms and the dried prawns over a gentle heat in a little oil for about 3 minutes, then add the finely chopped shallot or spring onion and leave to cook through.
Step 3
On the other hand, in a bowl mix the flours with the measured water, the cooked turnip, the salt, the sugar and the previous sauté. Mix very well with the help of a whisk.
Step 4
Prepare a baking pan by oiling it or putting a layer of baking paper and pour the mixture on it. Steam the cake, over medium heat, for 70 minutes. Finish 10 minutes at the end in the oven at 180ºC. Let cool completely in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours. The cake will be ready when we can put a toothpick inside it and it comes out completely clean.
Step 5
At the time of consuming the Chinese turnip cake we will only have to cut the portions of the size we like, the smaller the more manageable, and toast them lightly in a non-stick pan with a little oil on all sides over high heat. What we are looking for is a silky and very tender inside and a crispy outside but we could skip this step and take the Chinese turnip cake simply cooked.
Step 6
Serve accompanied by a little oyster sauce and chopped Chinese chives that will give us freshness.
