Hawker-Style Black Chai Tow Kway with Dried Shrimp Radish Cake

Method

1. Put the dried shrimp and shiitake in separate bowls, cover with hot water and soak for 20 min. Remove the mushroom stems, squeeze both dry and chop finely.

   Add in this stepDried shrimp 10 gDried shiitake mushrooms 2

2. Melt a little lard in a 20 cm pot over medium heat and fry the chopped shrimp and mushrooms for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the radish, a third of the water, the salt and half the white pepper and cook for 12 min in total, stirring, until the radish is translucent and soft.

   Add in this stepLard (or vegetable oil) ½ tbspWhite radish (daikon), finely shredded 300 gWater 66 mlSalt ½ tspGround white pepper ¼ tsp

   medium heat

3. Whisk the rice flour smoothly into the rest of the water. Turn the heat down to low heat, pour it in and stir constantly for 3 min until thick like stiff porridge, then take it off the heat.

   Add in this stepRice flour (not glutinous) 100 gWater 154 ml

   low heat

4. Brush a 15 cm tin with a little lard, pour in the batter, tap it on the counter to release air bubbles and smooth the top. Steam over high heat for 35 min, until translucent and a chopstick comes out without wet batter.

   Add in this stepLard (or vegetable oil) ¼ tbsp

   high heat

5. Cool completely, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 h, ideally overnight. Once firm, cut into 2 cm cubes.

6. Heat a 30 cm · 1× wok over high heat until smoking and melt most of the lard. Spread the cubes in a single layer and fry for 6 min, barely moving them, until two sides have a deep, crisp crust. Push them to the sides and fry the garlic and chai poh in the centre for 30 seconds, then toss together. Fry in the batches shown and repeat the next steps for each batch.

   Add in this stepLard (or vegetable oil) 2.9 tbspGarlic cloves, minced 3Chai poh (sweet preserved radish), chopped 20 g

   high heat

7. Drizzle the rest of the lard between the cubes and pour over the eggs beaten with the fish sauce and remaining white pepper. Leave over medium-high heat for 1 min 30 sec until the underside is set and golden, then flip in large pieces and break up lightly.

   Add in this stepLard (or vegetable oil) 0.9 tbspEggs 3Fish sauce 1 tspGround white pepper ¼ tsp

   medium-high heat

8. Pour the kecap manis and dark soy onto the hot sides of the wok so they sizzle and caramelise, then toss quickly over medium-high heat for 1 min to give everything a glossy black coat. Stir in the sambal, scatter with spring onions and serve at once. Sweet soy burns fast, so don't keep frying.

   Add in this stepKecap manis (sweet soy sauce) 1½ tbspDark soy sauce 1 tspSambal or chilli paste 1 tspSpring onions 2

   medium-high heat