One of the Asian vegetables I can buy here is daikon. Normally I buy it whenever I need some danmuji for kimbap, and when I can’t get it I pickle beets instead.
Lately they’ve been stocking the daikon again, and I’ve been using it more. From Korean beef and radish soup to Cantonese braised beef brisket with daikon and lately variations of Chinese radish pancakes (luo bo si bing). This particular batch featured blanched shredded daikon, ground pork, and seasonings like ginger and soy sauce.
With the same dough and filling, I made essentially two different versions of these. The first were made with a very lightly greased pan and pressed pretty flat. The result is a lightly crisp but soft and chewy, pita-like pancake. The second were flattened less and cooked in more oil for a crispier, puffier result. I can’t decide which I like better, though my mom immediately insisted she liked the second kind better based on appearance before she’d even tried them 
. Both are completely delicious and I’m looking forward to continuing to make variations of these (baked in the oven, different add-ins and seasonings). These use up a ton of radish, so I can keep giving the supermarket that stocks it a reason to keep up the supply.
If I could get small head-on shrimp, I’d be making radish puffs, which I absolutely love. I’m thinking of trying bacon as an obviously different but also salty and savory substitute.
