Fried Radish Cake (Singapore Carrot Cake) Recipe

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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The other carrot cake. . Yvonne Ruperti

Notes: Mei cai, or Chinese preserved vegetables, have been fermented with a salt brine. Preserved turnip is a common choice for this dish, though I used a jar labeled as "vegetables". It can be purchased in packets or in jars in Asian supermarkets. If you can't find it, either omit or use a lesser amount of sauerkraut.

Though I give directions for baking the cake in a water bath, this recipe traditionally starts with a steamed cake, which you can do if you own a steamer basket large enough to hold an 8- or 9-inch cake pan. Pour the mixture into the pan, set in the steamer basket, and simmer gently until the cake is just firm.

Don't worry if the eggs and radish cake break apart while cooking—it doesn't have to be a cohesive omelette.

This recipe is adapted from Rasa Malaysia.

Recipe Details

Fried Radish Cake (Singapore Carrot Cake) Recipe

Active 50 mins
Total 6 hrs
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 large daikon radish (about 28 ounces), grated

  • 1 3/4 cups (about 7 ounces) rice flour

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 eggs

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil

  • 3 tablespoons Chinese preserved vegetables (see note)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1/2 bunch scallions, sliced

  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

  1. Place grated radish in large straight sided skillet or saucepan with lid. Add 1/3 cup water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover and gently simmer until radish is translucent and tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and let cool.

  2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (see note). In small bowl, whisk rice flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 cup water until smooth. Strain if there are lumps. Stir in cooled radish and any accumulated juice.

  3. Pour mixture into cake pan and cover with foil. Poke a few holes in the foil. Set pan in a large roasting pan and fill roasting pan halfway with hot water. Bake until just firm, about 50 minutes. Let cool to completely firm up for easy slicing, at least 4 to 6 hours in the fridge.

  4. Remove cake from fridge and divide into thirds. Cut one of the pieces into 3/4-inch cubes and set aside. Wrap and freeze remaining pieces for another time.

  5. In medium bowl, whisk eggs with fish sauce. Heat oil in wok or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add radish cake cubes and fry, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

  6. Add preserved vegetables, garlic, and white pepper, and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour eggs and scallions over mixture and cook, folding eggs from the sides over to the middle and pressing to hold the omelette together, until eggs are cooked through (see note). Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Special equipment

8 or 9-inch cake pan

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
822 Calories
39g Fat
97g Carbs
22g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 822
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g 50%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 372mg 124%
Sodium 1299mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 97g 35%
Dietary Fiber 10g 34%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 65mg 327%
Calcium 158mg 12%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 1450mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)