Lo-bak-go: Steamed turnip (daikon) pie

Ingredients:

• 10 medium dried shiitake mushrooms (about 60 g)
• 1/4 cup dried scallops (about 45 g)
• 1/4 cup small dried shrimp (about 30 g)
• 1.8 g daikon, peeled and quartered
• 1 strip Chinese bacon (about 170 g), cut into small cubes, skin removed
• 2 Chinese pork sausages (about 170 g), finely diced
• 1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
• 1.5 cups cornstarch
• 1.5 cups rice flour
• 1 tbsp. l. chicken broth powder
• 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
• 0.5 tsp sugar, optional
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Oyster sauce for dipping
• Green onions, sliced ​​diagonally, for serving
• Special equipment: wok; steam basket; two round disposable aluminum molds with a diameter of 22 cm.

Preparation:

1. Place the dried shiitake mushrooms, scallops, and shrimp in three separate small bowls. Pour enough boiling water into each bowl to cover the ingredients, about 1.5–2 cups. Soak for 20–30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate the daikon using a coarse grater or in a food processor. You may need to grate it in several batches; simply transfer the grated daikon to a large bowl and grate the rest. Be sure to reserve all the liquid.
3. Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the grated daikon along with the liquid. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning or browning, until the daikon is softened and cooked through, and most of the liquid has evaporated, 20–25 minutes. The daikon should resemble sauerkraut. Set aside.
   
   
   Despite the name (turnip pie), the pie is most often made with daikon. The cooking time for daikon depends on the quality of the vegetable. Older daikon will have less moisture and will take longer to cook. Young daikon is juicier.
4. When the shiitakes have plumped up, drain the water and cut off the stems. Finely dice the caps. Drain the scallops and shrimp and finely dice.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and shallots and continue cooking until the sausage is golden brown and more fat has rendered, about 3 more minutes.
   
   Note
   
   Chinese bacon is cured and then dried. It is sold with the skin on. Remove the skin with a sharp chef's knife.
   
   Chinese pork sausage is sweet and dry, but still easy to slice. Leftovers can be mixed with fried rice.
6. Add the shiitake mushrooms, scallops, and shrimp, stir to coat, and cook for 3–5 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly.
   
   Note
   
   Dried scallops and shrimp come in a variety of sizes, but since you'll be chopping them for this recipe, use the smaller, less expensive ones.
7. Fill a large, wide saucepan with a steamer basket and add 2-3 inches of water over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil.
8. Combine the cornstarch and rice flour in a large bowl. Slowly add 2.5 cups of water and stir with a large silicone spatula until smooth. It will be very thick and difficult to stir at first. The mixture should resemble a thick paste. If the dough is too thick, you can add another 1/4 cup of water at the end to combine everything.
9. Return the wok with the daikon to medium-high heat. Stir the mixture one last time to ensure there are no lumps, then add it to the daikon. Cook, stirring with a large wooden spoon or large spatula to prevent the mixture from setting, until it thickens, about 5 minutes; it should resemble thick macaroni and cheese. Remove from heat, add the bacon and pan drippings, and stir until evenly distributed. Add the broth, white pepper, sugar, if using, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
10. Lightly grease two round, disposable aluminum pans with vegetable oil and spread the daikon mixture among the pans. Steam one portion at a time, adding more water as needed, until a skewer or pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Carefully remove the steamed daikon cake from the pan, transfer it to a wire rack, and let it cool to room temperature. Prepare the second portion in the same way.
11. When ready to serve, slice the pie into 7-cm-long, 1-cm-thick pieces. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom. Once shimmering, add the pie pieces in batches and fry in the skillet until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and serve with oyster sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions.