Law Bak Go (daikon steamed savory cake)

Fall is a time when I miss my Chinese comfort food most. My latest adaptation is Law Bak Go. My mother used to make countless batches around Chinese New Years to give away. She would buy pounds and pounds of daikon ( she insisted the long and skinny Japanese daikon is better ) then grate, chop and steam in her annual all day and night cooking affair. I remember falling asleep smelling the sautéing of meats and dried seafood then waking up smelling the steaming of daikon. It wasn't pleasant to sleep surrounded by the strong smell of food cooking, but eating her painstaking creations was worth it.

Now that I am on AIP low FODMAP, my focus is naturally to recreate my childhood meals compliant to my new eating direction. The traditional recipe calls for Chinese preserved meats and chicken bouillon cubes. Both of these have unknown ingredients and definitely MSG. I substitute these with compliant nitrates free bacon and used homemake bone broth to replace the water and bouillon cubes. I also used tapioca starch instead of the wheat starch. The result is more chewing then the traditional recipe but I am happy with the taste. You can also play around with the daikon vs. starch ratio to get the consistency you like best. I was out of a few ingredients when I make this but dried shrimps, presoaked like the dried scallop and some thinly sliced presoaked Chinese mushrooms will add more flavor to this dish. This make a great hearty snack or even breakfast.

Law Bak Go (daikon steamed savory cake)

Pan fried and ready to get in my belly

Ingredients

• 1 grated daikon ( about 1 lb)
• 1c tapioca starch mix with 1c cold bone broth  
• 3 tbsp Dried scallop presoaked and drained 
• 3 thick slices nitrates free bacon, chopper 
• Chopped green onion 
• I tsp salt 

Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish 

Instructions

1. Sautéed chopped bacon in hot pan for 3 mins, add dried presoaked scallop and green onions, cook for another 5 mins
2. Add shredded daikon, cook for 5 mins 
3. Mix in starch paste - tapioca starch and bone broth, add to pan and lower heat to low cook 20 mins
4. The mixture will become really thick
5. Put mixture in oiled pan and steam for 1/2 hr until cooked 
6. Cool in frig 
7. Cut into slices and pan fry to gold brown goodness.

You can garnish it with chopped cilantro and green onions.

clockwise left to right
grated daikon
 soaked dried scallop
chopped green onions
tapioca starch mixed with bone broth

cooking "dry" ingredients

After steam cooked