Lo Bak Go, also known as Chinese Turnip Cake, is a savoury dim sum classic traditionally eaten during Lunar New Year and served at yum cha. Shredded daikon radish is mixed with fragrant lup cheong sausage, shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp, then steamed into a soft rice flour cake before being sliced and pan fried until golden and crispy.
This is a dish my mum makes every year – one that I absolutely love. It’s nostalgic, labour-intensive, and completely worth it.
Post updated February 2026.
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Why You’ll Love Lo Bak Go
This is one of those dishes that feels nostalgic, celebratory and incredibly satisfying to eat.
- Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside – Steamed until tender, then pan fried for that golden crust.
- Deep savoury flavour – Lup cheong, dried shrimp and mushrooms create rich umami pockets throughout.
- Perfect for Lunar New Year entertaining – Make it ahead of time and pan fry just before serving.
- Traditionally symbolic – The word for “cake” sounds like “higher,” symbolising growth, promotion and rising fortune.
- Great for meal prep – It keeps beautifully in the fridge and slices cleanly once fully chilled.
Lo Bak Go for Lunar New Year
Lo Bak Go is traditionally eaten during Lunar New Year because the word “cake” (糕) sounds like “higher” in Cantonese, symbolising growth, promotion and rising prosperity in the year ahead. Serving it during the Spring Festival is a way of wishing for progress and good fortune for your family.
Beyond its symbolism, making Lo Bak Go is often a shared experience. Families prepare it together in the days leading up to the new year, soaking mushrooms, shredding daikon and steaming large batches to enjoy over several days of celebrations. This recipe is one I learnt from my mum, and every time I make it, it feels like part of that tradition continues.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Daikon radish – The base of Lo Bak Go. Use Asian daikon, not Western turnips, for the correct texture and flavour.
- Lup cheong (Chinese sausage) – Find at most supermarkets or your local Asian grocer. Omit for a vegetarian version.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms – Rehydrate and reserve the soaking liquid.
- Dried shrimp – Adds savoury pops throughout the cake. Can be left out for vegetarian.
- Rice flour – Essential for the soft, chewy texture. Do not substitute with plain flour.
- Corn starch – Helps bind the mixture and create structure.
- Sesame oil
- Salt, sugar and white pepper
- Spring onion – also known as scallions.
- Vegetable oil – Used for pan frying until golden and crispy. Any flavourless, neutral oil is fine.
- Soy sauce and hot chilli sauce – For serving and dipping.
How to Make Lo Bak Go (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Rehydrate the mushrooms and shrimp by covering with boiling water for at least 1 hour. Once softened, finely dice and reserve the soaking liquid.
Step 2: Add lup cheong to a wok and sauté to render the fat. Add the chopped mushrooms and shrimp and cook until fragrant. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Step 3: Add shredded daikon to the wok and cook until it begins to wilt. Pour in the reserved soaking liquid, cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the daikon is soft and cooked through.
Step 4: Drain the daikon, pressing out excess liquid. Reserve 1 cup of the liquid and allow it to cool completely. Return the drained daikon to the wok along with the sausage, mushrooms and shrimp. Turn the heat off.
Step 5: Once the reserved liquid has cooled, whisk in the rice flour and corn starch until smooth. Pour into the daikon mixture along with sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper and chopped spring onion. Stir over medium low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes sticky.
Step 6: Lightly oil a rectangular dish or loaf pan and transfer the batter in, smoothing the top. Steam for 60 minutes until firm and cooked through.
Step 7: Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, for clean slices.
Step 8: Slice into 1 centimetre thick pieces and pan fry in vegetable oil until golden and crisp on both sides. Serve with soy sauce and hot chilli sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Chill completely before slicing – Refrigerating overnight gives you clean, neat slices and prevents crumbling when pan frying.
- Do not skip draining the daikon – Removing excess moisture ensures the cake sets properly and is not overly wet.
- Pan fry just before serving – Lo Bak Go is best when freshly crisped, with a golden crust and soft centre.
- Make it vegetarian – Omit lup cheong and dried shrimp and replace with extra shiitake mushrooms for depth of flavour.
- Add extra texture – Finely diced water chestnuts can be added for subtle crunch.
- Freeze for later – Slice, wrap tightly and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge before pan frying.
FAQs
Is Lo Bak Go made with turnip or radish?
Despite the English name “turnip cake,” it is made with daikon radish, not Western turnips.
Why is my turnip cake too soft?
It may contain too much moisture. Make sure the daikon is properly drained and the cake is fully steamed and chilled before slicing.
Can I make Lo Bak Go ahead of time?
Yes. Steam and refrigerate for up to three days. Pan fry just before serving.
Can I freeze Lo Bak Go?
Yes. Slice and freeze in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge before pan frying.
How do I know when it is fully cooked?
After steaming, the cake should feel firm to the touch and no longer wet in the centre. It will continue to set as it cools.
More Recipes to Serve for Lunar New Year
If you are planning a full feast, here are a few more dishes that pair beautifully with Lo Bak Go:
- Money Bag Dumplings – Crispy, golden dumplings shaped like little fortune purses, perfect for symbolising wealth and prosperity.
- Knife Cut Noodles – Thick, chewy noodles tossed in a savoury sauce for a comforting and satisfying main dish.
- Mango Sago – A creamy, refreshing dessert that balances out all the savoury dishes on the table.
📖 Recipe
Lo Bak Go (Chinese Turnip Cake)
Ingredients
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 20 g dried shrimp
- 325 mL boiling water
- 1 lup cheong sausage diced
- 750 g daikon radish (weight of whole vegetable with skin) skin removed and shredded
- 130 g rice flour
- 12 g corn starch
- 20 mL sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 spring onion finely chopped
For serving
- 20 mL vegetable oil
- 1 spring onion finely chopped
- Hot chilli sauce for dipping
- Soy sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Rehydrate mushrooms and shrimp by covering with boiling water for at least one hour. Once softened, chop into small cubes. Reserve the flavoured soaking liquid for later.
- Add lup cheong to a wok and sauté, rendering out the fat. Add shiitake mushrooms and shrimp, and cook until they become aromatic. Remove from wok and set aside.
- Added shredded daikon to the wok and toss around until it begins to wilt. Pour in reserved soaking water, cover with lid and let daikon simmer for around 5-7 minutes until it is soft and cooked all the way through.
- Drain daikon, pressing out the liquid – reserve one cup and set aside to cool completely. Return strained daikon to the wok along with lup cheong, mushrooms and shrimp. Stir all ingredients together with the heat turned off.
- Once your strained liquid has cooled completely, add rice flour and corn starch and whisk until well combined. Pour into daikon mixture, along with sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper and chopped spring onion. Stir well before turning the heat back on again to medium low. As you stir, the liquid and daikon should come together to a thick sticky mixture.
- Prepare a rectangular glass dish or loaf pan by brushing lightly with vegetable oil. Transfer in your batter, smoothing out the top. Place dish into a prepared steamer with plenty of water, cover and steam for 60 minutes until cooked.
- Once cooked, remove your turnip cake from the steamer and set aside to cool before placing into the fridge. Allow the cake to cool completely as this will make it easier to slice. I recommend at least six hours, preferably overnight.
- To serve, slice chilled Lo Bak Go into one centimetre thick slices. Brown both sides in a heated frypan with a little oil until warmed through and golden on the outside.
- Arrange on a plate and served sprinkled with extra spring onions and hot chilli sauce and soy sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- I used an 18x13cm glass storage dish for this recipe. You can also separate the daikon mixture across two small Chinese takeaway containers, or a round cake tin.
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