What the heck do I do with… Chinese Turnip 白萝卜?

After two years of a relatively peaceful existence here in China during the pandemic, we are now reporting record daily cases. My heart especially goes out to the people in Shanghai experiencing food shortages and the stress of ever-changing rules in the city-wide lockdown currently happening.

Because of initial panic buying (some residents had less than 12 hours notice before the lockdown was announced) and food delivery trucks only having limited access to the city (if any), the local government has provided some care packages of food, and many communities are organizing group buys. While this is helpful, there is little choice with what food you’ll end up with. I’ve noticed some very confused faces on social media from foreigners receiving ingredients that they have no idea what to do with. One common ingredient that leaves many foreigners complexed is the now infamous 白萝卜 Bái luóbo.

This name directly translates to “white carrot”, but in English it’s usually referred to a daikon radish or Chinese turnip. It’s actually a very common staple in Chinese cuisine, and there are lots of things you can make with it. Below you can find 7 different recipes that use minimal ingredients, which is ideal for the less than ideal situation happening in Shanghai (understatement of the century). Even if you’re not in lockdown, maybe these recipes can give you the inspiration to try a new ingredient! I’ve tried to include a mix of Chinese recipes and other cuisines to suit different tastes, so hopefully there will be something to please everybody.

1. Chinese Turnip Pancakes (萝卜饼 Luóbo Bǐng)

daikon pancake veganinchina — Source: Airgo

These pancakes use minimal ingredients - just daikon, flour, starch, water, oil and seasoning. If you have a scallion on hand, even better! The crispy, chewy texture will feel very comforting during these hard times. This recipe is from a website selling some contraption called the “Airgo,” but I don’t see why you couldn’t get the same result from frying in a pan with some oil.

2. Chinese Turnip Cake （萝卜糕 Luóbo Gāo）

radish cake woon heng veganinchina — Source: Woon Heng

I made this only a month ago and it was absolutely delicious! If you like mochi, but have a savoury tooth, you’ll love Woon Heng’s Chinese turnip cake! It’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The ingredients are simple, and it makes a lot! You can also repurpose the cake to make a delicious stir-fry !

3. Pickled Daikon 萝卜泡菜 Luóbo Pàocài

I make variations of these quick pickles all the time. They are great as a garnish for rice or noodle bowls, or even to put in a sandwich. Add other vegetables like carrots or cucumber if you have them on hand. While the vinegar does preserve the daikon well, I recommend finishing them up within a week.

Note: This recipe includes fish sauce as an optional ingredient. I make mine without (obviously) and the pickles are still fresh and delicious. You could add a splash of soy sauce if you want an extra salty-umami element.

4. Braised Chinese Turnip （红烧萝卜 Hóngshāo Luóbo）

All we have is time in quarantine, but that doesn’t mean we want to spend it washing dishes! Braised daikon is a no-fuss one-pot recipe that soothes the soul. It’s salty, sweet, juicy, umami goodness that will have you reaching for another bowl, but don’t worry, it’s quite healthy! This dish is great eaten alone as a soup or paired with rice.

5. Daikon Stir-fry (炒萝卜 Chǎo Luóbo)

This daikon stir-fry recipe by the brilliant Woks of Life seems quite humble, but it’s packed with flavour, I assure you! Not only that, stir-fry is such a versatile dish and beginner-friendly. I think this would also work well with the addition of potatoes cut up into little shoestrings.

Note: Use vegan oyster sauce or soy sauce.

6. Daikon Fries (萝卜薯条 Luóbo Shǔ Tiáo)

Here’s an East-West fusion snack or side dish you can make with daikon radish. You can follow the recipe which uses quite common, pantry-friendly ingredients, or use other spices to make it your . The caramelization on these is amazing, and they are especially delicious when dipped in vegan sriracha mayo!

7. Roasted Chinese Turnip (烤萝卜Kǎo Luóbo)

It doesn’t get more easy and delicious than this recipe by Sarah’s Cucina Bella! Let’s be real, all vegetables taste good if they’re tossed in oil, seasoned, and roasted, right? This dish would be great as a roasted veg salad. If you don’t have an oven, use an air fryer or fall back on your ol’ friend the frying pan.

What would you do with a daikon radish? Are there any other “mysterious” Chinese ingredients you’d like recipes for? Let me know down below in the comments!