Turnip Cake (港式臘味蘿蔔糕) Updated: Instant Pot Method

Turnip cake is a very popular food during Chinese New Year. We usually make these cakes ahead of time and pan fried it when guests arrives.

Ingredients:

1600g Turnip (白蘿蔔)
200g Rice Flour (粘米粉)
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 Tbsp Wheat Starch (澄麵)
2 Chinese Sausage (臘腸)
1 Chinese Bacon (臘肉)
6 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (冬菇)
4 Dried Scallops (乾瑤柱)
3 Tbsp Dried Shrimps (蝦米)
2 cup Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp White Pepper
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
Sesame Seeds

Method:

Soak the shiitake mushrooms, dried scallops and dried shrimps in hot water until re-hydrated and soften.
Cut mushrooms, dried shrimps, Chinese bacon, and Chinese sausage into dice
Cut about 600g turnip into small strips and then shred the rest. You can use a food processor to shred the turnip. I used the KitchenAid shredder attachment this time which worked out well.
Mix rice flour, cornstarch and wheat starch in a mixing bowl. Stir in 1.5 cups of chicken stock until smooth, then set batter aside
Heat up a wok, add a tablespoon cooking oil and stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimps, and Chinese sausage until fragrant.
Remove mixture from heat and set aside
Use the same wok to cook the turnip strips, add a little chicken stock if it becomes too dry
Cook until translucent and almost softened
Add the shredded turnip into the wok and cook with the rest of the 0.5 cup of chicken stock
Cook until softened, add salt, pepper, sugar and fish sauce to the turnip, then remove from heat
Stir the rice flour batter and make sure it is well mixed
Add the rice flour batter into the wok and mix well
Generously oil the foil pan and put the turnip mixture into foil pan. You can also you any glass or other baking dish as long as it fits into your steamer
Steam the turnip cake mixture for 1 hour or until cooked through. It is done with you stick a toothpick or chopstick in the cake and it comes out clean

Instant Pot Method:

Put 1 or 2 cups of water in the Instant Pot, put the turnip cake in the pot with the trivet.
Setting: Pressure cook 15 minutes
10 minutes pressure release

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and let cool.

You can slice the cake once it is cooled and service. However, it is easier to slice if you put it in the refrigerator overnight. Cut them into slices and pan fried at add flavor and crunchiness.