Shredded Daikon Pancakes (萝卜丝饼 Luo Bo Si Bing)

Daikon, also known as Bai Luo Bo or mooli, used to be a touchy topic at our family’s dinner table. The reason was because my husband disliked daikon. As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, like Daikon Pork Bone Soup or Daikon Beef Meat Pies, for someone who’s new to daikon or who did not grow up eating it, this white root vegetable can taste a bit bitter and pungent. It very much has an acquired taste.

I, on the other hand, love daikon! It’s such a tasty and versatile vegetable, not to mention its various health benefits. So despite my husband’s previous aversion to daikon, I kept trying different dishes with daikon. I’m a firm believer that our palates can be trained over time and I don’t give up easily. In the end, my perseverance prevailed. After being together for almost two decades, I can finally say that I have successfully converted my husband to a daikon lover.

This Shredded Daikon Pancake is the proof. Daikon is the only major ingredient. My husband even jokingly said the other day “I don’t know what happened to me? But I guess I like daikon now. And I could never imagine myself eating daikon pancakes ten years ago.”

For a crispier result or if you are gluten free, you can eliminate the flour and water and add another egg. For a softer and creamier result, you can forgo the egg and double the amount of flour and water. I’ve tried numerous combinations. The version below is what I call the middle ground. You can use it when you make these daikon pancakes for the first time and then change the ingredients and ratios to your liking.

Tool: Non-stick Pan, Food Processor or Mandolin Slicer

Low Carb

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Total Time:  25 minutes

Servings: ~ 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb daikon
• 1/2 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt ¹
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried small shrimp (虾皮) ²
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Peel the daikon. Use a mandolin slicer to slice the daikon into super-thin slices. Alternatively, cut the daikon into super-thin slices by hand with a sharp chef’s knife. Put all the thinly-sliced daikon in a medium mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, mixing well. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes to release water.

2. In another medium mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, and ~1/3 cup of water, mixing thoroughly until a thin flour mixture forms. Break 1 large egg into the flour mixture and mix well.

3. Use both hands to shape the daikon slices into a ball and squeeze all the water out. Put the daikon slices into the egg-flour mixture. Add another 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger, and 1 tablespoon of dried small shrimp. Mix everything.

4. Heat a large non-stick pan under medium heat. When the pan is warm, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Scoop out around 1/4 of mixture to the non-stick pan and gently pat it with a spatula to form into pancake shape. Keep repeating the same procedure until all the daikon mixture is used.

5. Cook each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the daikon in between to cook the other side. When both sides are golden brown, turn off the heat. Transfer all the pancakes to a plate. Enjoy either warm or cold.

Bon Appétit

Notes:

1. If using table salt, only use half the amount.

2. Make sure you get the dried small shrimp, also sometimes called dried shrimp skin. They are paper thin and do not require pre-soaking.

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