← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 600 g white radish (daikon), peeled and coarsely grated
• 200 g Rice flour
• 2 tbsp Tapioca starch
• 300 ml Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 40 g Preserved radish (chai poh / lobak masin), rinsed and chopped
• 4 Eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy or kicap manis, for the black version (optional)
• 1 tbsp chilli paste (optional)
• 100 g Bean sprouts
• 2 Spring onion, chopped

Method

1. Put the grated radish in a pan with 100 ml of the water and cook over medium heat for 8–10 min until soft and translucent. Mix the rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, pepper and remaining water into a smooth batter.
2. Take the radish off the heat, stir in the batter and the 1 tbsp oil until it forms a thick paste. Spread into an oiled 20 cm tin and steam over high heat for 45 min until firm and a skewer comes out clean.
3. Cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so it firms enough to cut. Cut into 2 cm cubes.
4. Heat the frying oil in a wide non-stick wok over medium-high heat. Fry the cubes in a single layer for 5–6 min, turning, until crisp and golden on most sides.
5. Push them aside, fry the garlic and chai poh for 1 minute, then add the soy sauce (and the dark soy and chilli, if using) and toss everything together.
6. Pour the eggs over, let them set for 1 minute, then flip in sections until golden. Add the bean sprouts and spring onion, toss for 30 seconds and serve.

Tips

• Short on time? Asian grocers sell ready-made radish cake in blocks: start at step 4.
• Hawkers often add fish sauce or prawns; with them it is no longer vegetarian.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Noob Cook Huang Kitchen MyKitchen101en