Steamed Sticky Rice With Pork Belly

Recipe: Steamed Sticky Rice With Pork Belly (5 servings)

INGREDIENTS

For the braised pork belly/shoulder

• 1 pound pork belly or pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch thickness cubes
• 5 - 6 dried Shiitake mushrooms, soak in water until soft, stem removed
• 10 - 15 dried chestnuts, soak in water, skin removed
• 1 thumb sized ginger, sliced
• 2 stalks scallions
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 5 cups water or just enough to submerge the pork, mushrooms & chestnuts
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or rice wine
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 30g rock sugar
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• some cilantro/parsley for garnish (optional)

Note: Other ingredients to consider include peanuts, salty egg yolks, dried scallops and Chinese sausages.

For the rice 

• 2 cups glutinous rice, soak in water for at least 1 - 2 hours, drain
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil

For the dried shrimps

• One handful or 3 tablespoons dried shrimps, soak in water, drain
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

 

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. In a pot over high heat, fill with room temperature water just enough to submerge pork. Add pork belly/shoulder into pot and bring just to a boil or until impurities surface. Blanching is not essential, it's more of a personal preference to ensure cleaner meat.  Drain pot, rinse scum off pork under running tap water.  Set aside.

2. In a wok over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil and 2 chopped shallots, saute until they turn light brown. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, lightly saute, then add soaked and drained glutinous rice.  Continue to stir fry until rice is half cooked (about 3-5 minutes or so).  Add light soy sauce , dark soy sauce and sesame oil as seasoning.  Make sure they are evenly mixed well into rice.  Removed from work and set aside. 

3. In the same wok over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil, stir fry dried shrimp for about 2 minutes. Removed and set aside. (Clean the wok if there is remaining rice sticking on it)

4. Repeat the same process by adding another tablespoon of cooking oil and ginger slices, stir fry until fragrant, then add 3 cloves diced garlic, lightly saute.  Turn up the heat, add pork pieces, mushrooms and chestnuts.  Continue to stir fry for about 1 minute or so, then gradually add cooking wine, water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, five spice powder, ground white pepper, scallions and rock sugar. Stir to ensure all seasonings are mixed well.  Cover wok with lid and bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium.  Let it simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is tender.  Check and stir in between to make sure all ingredients are evenly coated in seasoning. 

5. Once the braised pork is cooked. Assemble ingredients by putting the mushroom up side down at the center base of the bowl ( I use 5 x 8oz individual metal bowls),  then add pork pieces, chestnuts, dried shrimps and top with rice.  Press down the rice with the back of a spoon to make it compact.  Make sure to leave some room in the bowl and not filled all the way up.  Drizzle some sauce from the braised pork belly over the rice.

6. Transfer bowls to steamer and steam for 35 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. 

7. Once cooked, remove bowls from steamer.  Place bowl up side down on a plate,  lift and remove the bowl, the bowl shaped sticky rice should slide off bowl easily.  Garnish with parsley (optional) and serve warm.  Serve with chili sauce if desired.