Radish cake—made with daikon radishes but also known as “turnip cake” or “carrot cake” in English—is a classic dish served at the Lunar New Year. Rectangular blocks of this steamed snack, which are usually fried before eating, are the stuff of childhood memories for many. Yet few people know that this side dish became part of Taiwan’s culinary tradition as a way of commemorating the last claimant to the throne of the Ming Dynasty.