Guilin Radish Cake

Guilin Radish Cake is a "humble hero" on the breakfast table, made with white radish as the main ingredient, steamed with sticky rice flour, cured meat dices, dried shrimps, mushrooms, and other ingredients. The process involves shredding and blanching white radish to remove bitterness, mixing it with fried cured meat, dried shrimps, and mushrooms, then blending with sticky rice flour and water to form a paste, which is steamed in a mold over high heat for 30 minutes. Once cooled, the cake is sliced into thick pieces, ready to eat fresh or fried until golden on both sides. When eaten fresh, the sweetness of radish blends with the saltiness of cured meat, with the delicate texture of sticky rice flour and the freshness of dried shrimps. When fried, the outer layer is crispy, the inside soft and glutinous, with slightly curled edges. Dipped in chili sauce or seafood sauce, the flavor is elevated. This simple-looking snack embodies Guilin people's pursuit of natural ingredients: the freshness of radish cuts through the heaviness of rice flour, while cured meat and shrimps add umami. Foreign visitors are often surprised by the rich flavors from simple ingredients, making it a perfect match for morning tea or coffee to start a vibrant day.