Chai Tow Kway

Stir-Fried Radish Cake (Chai Tow Kway)

Cubes of steamed daikon-and-rice cake wok-fried with egg, garlic, preserved radish and soy sauce - the classic hawker-style 'white' and 'black' versions from Singapore and Malaysia.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (21 oz) plain steamed daikon radish cake (lo bak go), chilled overnight, use a good hawker-style cake, about 18 cm square; one that is at least 1 day old fries best because it holds its shape
• •2 tbsp neutral cooking oil, peanut or canola, divided
• •15 g (½ oz) preserved radish (chai poh), rinsed briefly and finely chopped; this is salty, so taste before adding extra seasoning
• •3 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
• •2 stalks spring onion, cut into 3 cm pieces, whites and greens separated
• •2 tsp light soy sauce, for the white version
• •1 tsp dark sweet soy sauce, for the black version, optional - adds colour and caramel sweetness
• •1 pinch ground white pepper
• •fine salt, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Cut the chilled radish cake into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel - surface moisture is the main cause of splitting in the wok.
2. 2 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a well-seasoned carbon-steel wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cake cubes in a single layer and sear, turning gently, for 5–7 minutes until each cube is pale gold and lightly crisp on at least two sides. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic, spring onion whites and chopped preserved radish; stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until the garlic is just fragrant and the chai poh smells toasted - do not let the garlic brown.
4. 4 Push the aromatics to one side. Pour the beaten egg into the cleared space; let it set for 10 seconds, then scramble roughly and toss together with the aromatics.
5. 5 Return the seared cake cubes to the wok. Toss gently but confidently for 1–2 minutes to coat everything in egg. For the WHITE version: season with light soy sauce and a pinch of white pepper. For the BLACK version: add the dark sweet soy sauce as well. Taste, then adjust with a pinch of salt only if needed - the chai poh and soy are usually salty enough.
6. 6 Toss in the spring onion greens, give the wok one or two final flips, and slide onto a warm plate. Serve immediately, ideally with a bowl of clear broth or chilli sauce on the side.