每逢農曆新年前夕，Mary 姐總會到街市買十幾二十斤蘿蔔回來整蘿蔔糕。

由刨蘿蔔開始，到切冬菇、臘味粒，浸蝦米、瑤柱，再到炒料、蒸糕，往往由清晨忙到深夜。每年當新鮮出爐的蘿蔔糕飄出香氣時，我都由朝早流口水流到凌晨，因為我真係好鍾意食蘿蔔糕。

有一年我決定幫 Mary 姐一齊整，先知道原來整蘿蔔糕真係一門體力活。十幾二十斤蘿蔔要逐條刨絲，絕對唔講得笑，刨到最後雙手都麻痺；切冬菇、臘味同其他材料，又切到手指起晒水泡。自此之後，我更加明白每一底蘿蔔糕背後嘅心機，所以每年我都努力幫 Mary 姐食晒啲蘿蔔糕，算係用行動支持佢啦！

Mary 姐每年都會整十幾二十底蘿蔔糕送俾親朋戚友。大家收到都好開心，甚至每年都期待自己會唔會成為幸運兒，分到一底熱騰騰嘅蘿蔔糕。

自從離開香港之後，我每年都會懷念 Mary 姐整嘅蘿蔔糕。用料十足，冇味精，蘿蔔味濃郁，真係出面食唔到嘅味道。

於是，我開始自己學整蘿蔔糕。

未離開香港之前，我仲同前夫奶奶同住。有一年因為實在太想食蘿蔔糕，就上網搵咗好多食譜研究。最後跟住一位「大師姐」嘅做法去整，味道非常接近我心目中嘅理想版本。

不過整完之後，我發現有一個地方唔太啱自己口味。傳統做法會留起一部分冬菇、臘味等材料鋪喺蘿蔔糕面，但切件嘅時候，啲餸料往往會鬆散跌出嚟。於是第二年再整嘅時候，我改良咗少少做法，將材料更加平均地混入糕身裡面，結果切出嚟既好睇，又方便食用，更加合我心水。

我特別鍾意加冬菇。冬菇本身帶有獨特香氣，令蘿蔔糕味道更加豐富。不過因為始終係菇類，做完之後唔適宜喺雪櫃放太耐，所以每次整好，我都會盡快同家人朋友分享。

就咁，蘿蔔糕慢慢由 Mary 姐嘅招牌菜，變成我嘅招牌菜之一。

而我亦承襲咗 Mary 姐嘅傳統。每逢新年，都會整多幾底送俾身處海外嘅香港朋友、鄰居同親友。因為我一直相信，食得是福，而美食最幸福嘅地方，從來唔係自己食得幾好，而係有人願意同你分享。🍳

Jackie’s Kitchen in England | Turnip Cake

Every year before Lunar New Year, Mary would head to the market and come home with fifteen or twenty pounds of daikon radishes to make turnip cakes.

The process started with grating mountains of radish, followed by dicing shiitake mushrooms and Chinese cured meats, soaking dried shrimp and dried scallops, then cooking, mixing, and steaming. It was often an all-day affair that stretched well past midnight. Whenever a fresh batch of turnip cakes came out of the steamer, the aroma would fill the house, and I would spend the entire day eagerly waiting for that first bite. I have always loved turnip cake.

One year, I decided to help Mary make them, and that was when I truly understood how much work goes into every single cake. Grating fifteen or twenty pounds of radish is no joke. By the end, my hands were numb. Then came all the chopping of mushrooms, cured meats, and other ingredients, leaving my fingers sore and blistered. Since then, I have had even greater appreciation for every turnip cake she made. Naturally, I felt it was my duty to help her eat them all!

Every year, Mary would make dozens of trays and give them away to family and friends. Everyone was excited to receive one, and many would eagerly wait to see if they would be among the lucky recipients.

Since leaving Hong Kong, I have missed Mary’s turnip cakes every Lunar New Year. They were packed with ingredients, full of flavour, and made without MSG. It was the kind of homemade taste that simply could not be found in restaurants.

So I decided to learn how to make them myself.

Before I left Hong Kong, I was still living with my former mother-in-law. One year, craving turnip cake so badly, I spent hours searching online for recipes. Eventually, I followed the method of a highly respected home cook whose recipe matched the flavour I was looking for.

After making it, however, I discovered one thing I did not particularly like. The traditional method reserved some of the mushrooms and cured meats to decorate the top of the cake. While it looked beautiful, those toppings often fell off when the cake was sliced.

The following year, I made a small adjustment. Instead of placing the extra ingredients on top, I mixed them more evenly throughout the cake. The result was exactly what I wanted—every slice held together beautifully, and every bite was filled with flavour.

I especially enjoy adding shiitake mushrooms. Their rich, earthy aroma gives the turnip cake extra depth and character. However, because mushrooms do not keep well for too long, homemade turnip cakes are always best enjoyed fresh and shared quickly with family and friends.

Over the years, turnip cake gradually became one of my signature dishes as well.

I have also carried on Mary’s tradition. Every Lunar New Year, I make extra batches to share with fellow Hong Kong friends living overseas, neighbours, and loved ones. After all, food tastes even better when it is shared.

Growing up, I often heard the saying, “To have food is a blessing.” The older I get, the more I understand its meaning. The greatest joy of cooking is not simply enjoying the food yourself, but being able to share it with others and pass a little warmth from one home to another.

Because no matter where we are in the world, a homemade dish has a way of bringing us home. ❤️🍳