Pan-Fried Shrimp and Radish Patties

Place 10g dried shrimp into a small bowl, pour in about 100ml water, and soak for 2 to 3 hours until completely softened.

Peel 500g white radish thoroughly with a peeler, slice into uniform thin rounds, then stack and cut into fine, even shreds.

Place the shredded radish into a large glass bowl, add 1 tbsp fine salt, and rub thoroughly with your hands to evenly coat all strands until moisture starts to bead, then let rest for 1 hour until the radish softens completely and releases plenty of water.

Transfer the salted radish into a fine metal strainer and firmly squeeze out all excess liquid with both hands until dry; the dehydrated radish should weigh about 150g.

Inspect 200g shrimp, slit along the back with a small knife to remove the dark intestinal vein, and clean out the lower belly vein near the tail.

Rinse the deveined shrimp with water, drain well, place onto a cutting board, and press thoroughly with paper towels until the surfaces are completely dry with no residual moisture.

Roughly chop the dried shrimp with a chef's knife, then use your wrist to rapidly mince the meat repeatedly until it begins sticking together, continuing until it forms a smooth, glossy, cohesive sticky paste, then scoop it into a large glass bowl.

Take out the softened dried shrimp, remove any dark veins, and chop into small distinct bits; slice 30g of washed and dried spring onions into fine chopped scallions.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil until slightly smoking, then turn to low heat and add the chopped dried shrimp; stir-fry until moisture evaporates, steam subsides, and the shrimp turn golden and fragrant, then remove and cool completely.

Vigorously stir the minced shrimp in one direction with a wooden spoon, lifting and throwing it against the bowl until sticky and elastic; add the cooled dried shrimp, 2 tsp dried flounder fish powder, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp white pepper powder, and stir until completely integrated and firmly set.

Add the 150g squeezed dry radish shreds and 30g chopped spring onions into the shrimp paste bowl, gently folding with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated into a thick, cohesive patty mixture.

Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a skillet over medium heat until lightly smoking, then reduce to low heat; shape about half the mixture into a large ball, place into the pan, gently flatten to 1.5cm thickness with a spatula, and pan-fry on low heat until the bottom is set and golden brown, then flip and cook until both sides are crisp and the center bounces back firmly when pressed.

Divide the remaining mixture into two ping-pong-sized balls and place into the pan, gently pressing them into thick mini patties; tilt the pan to baste and crisp the edges with hot oil, cooking until both sides and edges are golden, crisp, and bouncy throughout, then transfer to a serving plate.