Take a trip to a good Asian market to find the ingredients for this tasty Chinese delicacy. A batter of rice flour is steamed with dried shrimp and mushrooms, Chinese sausages, shredded turnips, spices and a hint of ginger.
INGREDIENTS (for 6 servings):
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 ounces Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked overnight in water
- 1/3 cup dried shrimp, soaked in water overnight and drained
- 1 pound pork sausage, sliced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 slices fresh ginger root
- 3 turnips, shredded
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 2/3 pound white rice flour
PREPARATION:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, shrimp and sausages and saute for 1/2 minute. Remove from skillet and set aside. Heat 1 more tablespoon oil in wok/skillet. Add ginger and saute 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 in. 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.