Steamed Pork Patty with Tianjin Preserved Vegetable 🇨🇳

I was a fussy eater as a child but this steamed pork patty made by the maid who looked after my sister and I in Hong Kong was one of my favourites.  The classic Cantonese fare has a few variations.  Pork mince is marinated, stirred vigorously into a paste and placed in a rimmed dish for steaming with preserved vegetable on top as in this case, or it could be a salted duck egg or a piece of salted fish.  I love them all.  Tianjin preserved vegetable or 'tung chai' is a type of pickled Chinese cabbage originating from a city with the same name in northern China.  Packed into little Chinese stoneware jars, the crunchy shredded vegetable has a slightly sweet and salty taste which takes the humble meat patty and many other dishes to another level.  You will find them in Asian grocery stores.  Cut the steamed patty into slices and serve with hot rice and Chinese greens.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 250g / 9oz pork mince
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ tablespoon cornflour
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons Tianjin preserved vegetable
• 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion, for garnishing

METHOD

1. Brush a 21cm /8" heatproof dish with sides about 4 cm /1½" high (similar to the one pictured above) with oil.
2. In a bowl, place pork mince.  Add wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, corn flour, water and white pepper.  Mix well with a pair of chopstick or a fork, stirring in one direction, until it becomes a smooth sticky paste.  Transfer to the heatproof dish and spread evenly to form a patty.
3. Wash and rinse preserved vegetable to remove excess salt, then squeeze it dry.  Scatter on top of the patty.
4. Steam the dish, covered, in a steaming station over high heat until cooked, about 10 minutes.*  
5. Remove the dish from the steaming station.  Garnish with chopped spring onions.  Serve hot with rice.

*To set up a steaming station, click here for information.