Chai tow kway

Chai tow kway is a Chinese dish made from steamed rice flour and shredded daikon radish, often served as dim sum. In Singapore, it is traditionally called "carrot cake," though it has no connection to the sweet European carrot cake. The dish is commonly served in Cantonese and Teochew yum cha, typically cut into rectangular slices and sometimes pan-fried before serving. Pan-fried versions have a thin, crunchy exterior and a soft interior, while steamed versions are soft throughout. It is often accompanied by a soy-oyster dipping sauce and is a standard dim sum item in China, as well as in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and overseas Chinatown restaurants. In Southeast Asia, the cakes are frequently chopped into smaller cubes and stir-fried with extra ingredients.

The Chinese name for radish cake is luóbo gāo in Mandarin, lòbaahk gōu in Cantonese, and chhài-thâu-ké in Hokkien, the last of which gives rise to the English term "chai tow kway" used in Southeast Asia. The Hokkien word chhài-thâu refers to daikon radish, while -ké or -kóe denotes steamed rice or tapioca cakes. In Hakka, it is called lò-phe̍t-pán or chhoi-thèu-pán, with -pán indicating snacks or cakes made from glutinous rice flour. The English name "turnip cake" likely arose because white daikon radishes were largely unknown outside East and Southeast Asia, and the similar appearance led to the use of "turnip." In Singapore and Malaysia, the term "carrot cake" came from the Chinese habit of calling carrots "red radish," transferring the word "carrot" to daikon radish, despite the dish being unrelated to European carrot cake.

One story from Taiwan traces the dish's popularity and Lunar New Year significance to the 17th century, when exiled Ming pretender Zhu Shugui bequeathed farmland to local farmers before his suicide during the Qing takeover. In gratitude, these people secretly venerated his grave with offerings including radish cakes on his death anniversary, birthday, and at Lunar New Year. This practice continued until the end of Qing rule in 1895, and radish cakes later spread throughout Taiwan. Daikon radishes were originally a winter crop, making the cakes seasonal, but 20th-century innovations allowed year-round production. In Hong Kong, the Lunar New Year association is thought to stem from radishes being cheaper and better in winter.