- Kathy Ng Yiu-fan from Kat-Spirit Nutrition Centre offered up a recipe for steamed, vegetarian ‘lo bak gou’ you can make at home
- Every week, Talking Points gives you a worksheet to practise your reading comprehension with exercises about the story we’ve written
Most Hongkongers will say lo bak gou, or turnip cake, is a must-try dish for any authentic dim sum experience, but pan-fried versions can be too oily. Photo: ShutterstockAsk any Hongkonger, and they will be sure to tell you lo bak gou, or turnip cake, is a must-try dish for any authentic dim sum experience. Despite what its name suggests, it’s not your typical confectionery; it is neither sweet nor baked.
Lo bak gou is made from grated Chinese radish and rice flour and has a delicious savoury flavour. No one really knows why the dish is called “turnip cake”, but one possible explanation is that someone confused daai tau choi (turnip) and lo bak (radish) as the two root vegetables look very similar, and the mistranslated name just stuck.
Despite the confusion over its English name, there is no denying the popularity of this dish, which is a staple in every dim sum restaurant. In addition to Chinese radish and rice flour, other ingredients include sausages, dried mushrooms, and dried shrimp.
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The steamed dish is usually cut into rectangular slices or small squares and pan-fried. The result is a thin, crunchy layer on the outside and a soft, almost gooey texture inside.
While it might be tempting to order multiple portions of turnip cake, especially when dining with friends or family, Kathy Ng Yiu-fan from Kat-Spirit Nutrition Centre in Hong Kong recommended limiting yourself to one or two slices per serving. “The bite-sized portions can be deceiving, making it easy to overindulge,” she said.
According to the senior nutritionist, 100 grams of lo bak gou contains 130 calories, 5.7 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates and 3.2 grams of protein. While most of the ingredients used in this dish are reasonably healthy, the preparation method and dipping sauces are not.
“The first round of cooking involves steaming the ingredients, which is great. However, the second step of pan-frying requires a good amount of oil to prevent the turnip cake from sticking to the wok. This adds unnecessary fat to the dish,” Ng explained. In comparison, 100 grams of steamed lo bak gou contains 87 calories, 3.6 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbohydrates and 2.3 grams of protein.
She added that in dim sum restaurants, lo bak gou is typically eaten with a generous drizzle of sweet, chilli, XO or oyster sauce, all of which are high in sodium.
Apart from going easy on the dipping sauces, moderation is key. Ng said that instead of skipping lo bak gou entirely, try pairing it with har gow (shrimp dumplings) and other steamed vegetable dumplings for a balanced meal.
“Alternatively, you can cook lo bak gou at home. This vegetarian take on the traditional recipe requires a bit of time to prepare, but it is definitely worth the effort. And what’s better – you can still achieve that crispy exterior texture by air-frying or even grilling it,” she said.
Healthy vegetarian lo bak gou
Ingredients (serves 2)
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300 grams of grated Chinese radish
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six dried Chinese or shiitake mushrooms
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50 grams of rice flour
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1/4 teaspoon of salt
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1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
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1/4 teaspoon white pepper
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100ml of water
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one spring onion
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one teaspoon of vegetable oil
Directions
1. Soak the mushrooms in boiling water for about 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, whisk together the rice flour, salt, garlic powder, pepper and water in a separate bowl until the ingredients are well combined.
3. Wash and dice the mushrooms and spring onion into small pieces.
4. Heat a large non-stick pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms and spring onions for two to three minutes. Add the grated radish and cook until it turns translucent and all the water has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Turn the heat to low and add the rice flour batter. Continue to cook while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and looks like a paste.
6. Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased, non-stick loaf tin and cover it with aluminium foil.
7. Steam the turnip cake over high heat for about 40 minutes. You can use a bamboo steamer or a wok with a lid. Ensure there is enough water in the pan while it is steaming, and top up with more water if necessary.
8. Once the cake has cooked, carefully remove it from the steamer and serve hot. Optional: Cut it into smaller, thinner slices and air-fry or grill them in the oven for about 15 minutes.
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