AI-generated image
Chai poh
菜脯: daikon salted, pressed and sun-dried into chewy, sweet-salty preserved radish
Chaozhou and Shantou on the Guangdong coast dry chai poh in the clear, breezy weeks after the winter radish harvest, laying white strips across bamboo mats on every flat roof. Repeated rounds of salting and drying turn juicy daikon into golden, chewy strips that are salty, sweet and faintly funky, and the Teochew diaspora carried it to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Diced and fried until crisp, it goes into chai poh neng (preserved radish omelette), chwee kueh topping, congee and stir-fried kway teow. This home version uses a little sugar for the sweet style. Common mistake: drying the strips too fast in a hot oven; the outside hardens while the inside stays wet and spoils. Low and slow keeps the texture chewy-supple. It is ready when the strips are amber, flexible and leathery, have lost about 80% of their weight and feel dry, not tacky. Store in a clean airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months; discard if mould, slime or a sour, rotten smell appears. Chef's tip: soak the chopped radish for 5 minutes and squeeze before frying, then fry with a pinch of sugar until it smells toasty.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the chai poh
- 4 ⅜ lb daikonfirm, smooth and heavy
- 2 ⅞ oz coarse saltfirst salting
- 1 ⅜ oz coarse saltsecond salting
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Scrub the 4 ⅜ lb daikon well (no need to peel), top and tail it, then cut into 1.5 cm thick strips about 8 cm long.
15 minStep 2: Toss with 2 ⅞ oz coarse salt in a large bowl, weigh down with a plate and a 2–3 kg weight, and leave in a cool place for 24 hours, until limp and swimming in brine.
5 minStep 3: Drain and squeeze. Spread the strips on racks in full sun and breeze for a day, bringing them in at night; or dry in a 122°F oven with the door ajar for 6 hours. They should shrink by half and feel bendy.
10 minStep 4: Toss with 1 ⅜ oz coarse salt and 2 ⅛ oz sugar, put back under the weight for 12 hours, then drain off the liquid.
5 minStep 5: Dry again in sun for 3–5 more days, or at 122°F for 8–10 hours in total, turning the strips each day, until amber, leathery and dry to the touch, about a fifth of the original weight.
Step 6: Wash a 1 litre jar in hot soapy water and dry it in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes; cool. Pack the cooled strips in tightly, close, and store in the fridge for up to 6 months, using a dry spoon or tongs. Discard if mould, slime or a sour, rotten smell appears.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 30 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chai poh take?
- About 45 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Vietnamese
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.