Saturday, May 14, 2011

Steamed Minced Pork With Salted Egg Yolk

Minced Meat 3

Minced Meat 1

I am still mildly amused when people in the other parts of the world ask me about the winter weather in Singapore. So I guess, as well known as we would think this little red dot on the world map is, there is still very little understanding about the country... at least nobody will wonder about winter in Hawaii, for example. (however, we do have many proud attributes that have been associated with us... I can roll out the list in a heartbeat but that's for another occassion.)

We do not have the priviledge to experience the wonders of changing seasons. Day in day out, we are bathed in warm summery humidity with spurts of showers and rain storm thrown in for a good tropical measure. Compared to our friends living in temperate zones with distinct seasonal weather changes, we really ought to have less wardrobe woes. However, most of us will still have a section in our wardrobe where we have our fair share of sweaters, throw-overs, shawls and jackets...technically irrelevant garment pieces for our weather where temperature averages around 30 degrees celsius and rarely dips below 25 degrees celsius. Ironically, these apparently irrelevant pieces of warm clothing have become indispensable in our tropical climate- not to protect us against natural weather conditions but against air-conditioned interiors such as offices, department stores, cars, trains and of course our own bedrooms - (where I use a down feather quilt blanket... whatever for? you may ask... well....) where temperature can be a chilly 17 degrees celsius.
The weather in Singapore has been scorchingly hot for the last 2 weeks. Interspersing this with sudden quick showers and running in and out of chilly air-conditioned rooms, I fell ill with a stubborn cough and sore throat that just refused to heal.

It is during these times, that I yearn for something comforting and warm for my meals. For 3 consecutive nights, I had white rice porridge for dinner. The soft soupy rice is easy to swallow and easy to digest. Paired with slightly salty savoury dishes, this has traditionally been the most economical and homely way to serve a meal. The dishes that are served with white rice porridge are traditionally very humble food like preserved salted eggs, pickled vegetables, fried tofu with bean sprouts and fried omelette with pickled radish.
Minced Meat 4
The steamed minced pork patty is possibly one of the more luxurious accompaniments to white rice porridge in my parents' time. I believe every family has their own steamed minced pork patty recipe. This recipe featured in Singapore celebrity chef, Sam Leong's  A Taste Of Home, is titled 'My Grandmother's Steamed Minced Pork Petites with Salted Egg Yolk'. Compared to my mother's version, Sam Leong's Grandmother's patty has more depth and dimension - thanks to the addition of minced coriander stems which gives the dish a subtle punch. The chopped water chestnuts also gave this otherwise meaty patty a refreshing crunch. Served with the homemade soy sauce, this becomes an addictive dish perfect with rice or porridge.

Minced Meat 1(250)
Recipe (From Sam Leong's A Taste Of Home)
Minced Pork
Minced Pork shoulder           400g ( do not use lean minced pork as this would yield a tough and dry patty)
Minced Pork fat                    1 tbsp
Coriander stems                    30g minced
Water chestnuts                    3 peeled and minced
Salt                                      1 tsp
Sugar                                   1 tsp
Light soya sauce                   2 tsp
Egg white                             1
Ground pepper                     Pinch
Sesame oil                           dash
Corn oil                               to coat cups/bowl
Salted egg yolk                    4
Homemade soya sauce        200ml
Spring onion                        1 minced

Method :
1. Combine all ingredietns except for corn oil and salted egg yolks, homemade soya sauce and spring onions, in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Apply some corn oil on the inside of 4 small ramekins or pudding molds. Put a salted egg yolk inside each mold/ramekin. Fill the mold with minced meat mixture from (1).
3. Steam the minced meat in a steammer for 40mins or until minced pork is cooked.
4. Turn molds over into a serving plate and the meat will slide out. Serve with homemade soya sauce and garnish with chopped spring onion.
Homemade Soya Sauce
Cooking oil                          1/2 tbsp
Ginger                                  2 slices
Spring Onion                        1 cut into short lengths
Coriander leaves                   2 sprigs
Chicken stock                       100ml
Light soya sauce                    1 tbsp
Dark soya sauce                    dash
Rock sugar                            10g

Method:
1. Heat the cooking oil in a hot wok.
2. Fry ginger and spring onion until fragrant.
3. Add the rest of the ingredient and cook until sugar is all melted and mixture just begins to boil.
4. Cool down and store in fridge.

28 comments:

  1. yup i guess all Chinese households have a different recipe! my mum's one has salted vegetables and salted fish and it's my absolute favourite! my grandma's one differs a little bit with taste.

    the one you made looks more colourful with the salted egg yolk and chopped spring onions

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  2. I hope by this time you had recovered from your cough. This is a dish that I never cook long time, thanks for reminding this comfort dish. I must try this new version as it sound delicious. Take good care ya.

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  3. In our Hokkien household we ate rice porridge everyday for lunch and this will be one of the dish serve. My mom or grandmother will mix the ground pork, cornstarch, tung choy, salted eggs together and steam it. It's a simple version compare to yours. I like this version especially with the sauce on it.

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  4. I love it! I am very sure it tastes yum with white rice porridge!

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  5. what a great comfort dish. it doesn't require complex expensive ingredients, yet it looks so delicious and appealing enough. looks good to go with just plain rice alone :)

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  6. This is a classic dish...well loved by many Chinese household. Great food photo.

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  7. I hope you have recovered Shirley. The dish does look very comforting.I hope it made you feel better quickly. Weather's been terrible hasn't it.

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  8. This is perfect to go with steamed rice!

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  9. Shirley! That's so true! I laugh when ppl asked me what's the weather like in SG ;P but there is something so comforting about this dish isn't it? Porridge or rice.. or just by itself with a bowl of soup..lovely!

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  10. Mmm..such a homey dish. ;) And yes, having it with steamy porridge is such a nice combo. ;) Reminds me of home!

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  11. Even tough Sydney doesn't have a proper winter, I do enjoy the significantly cooler seasons we get here. This is an interesting dish, I don't think I've ever had steamed meat before!

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  12. With the very cold weather here right now, I sorta wish I were in Singapore right now ;) Yesterday, it was a relatively warm day- and it was 17 degrees! haha....

    My mum makes a steamed pork dish! But it's very different to this one- both in the way it looks and the flavours...I love how yours looks so pretty! And it sounds delicious too!

    Hope you get well soon!

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  13. My mum used to cook this too but very simple - just steam with oyster sauce. This is certainly a very nice to go with porridge or rice.

    Shirley, hope you recover soon.

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  14. Hope you are feeling better.

    Porridge is my favorite. So comforting and so easy to digest. The minced pork dish is also very homey....feel like having some.

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  15. I love to visit here because all the foods you make always look so elegant! Beautiful presentation as always :D)!

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  16. This post brings back memories to my parent's cooking again. They would mince the pork by hand and steam it with all kinds of things. Salted egg was one of my favorite, another was with dried octopus and water chestnuts. It's so easy to polish off a bowl of rice with dishes like these.

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  17. Shirley all of this talk of warm weather is making me very wistful for Singapore! It seems like we've almost skipped Autumn and gone straight in Winter some days here :(

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  18. Yum... That soy sauce is definitely special! It's such a great recipe to be able to make at home for mom and dad, too, serving with stir fried veggies and steamed egg. Such simplicity, but so royally enriching in a meal.

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  19. Are those salted egg yolks home made? Is it easy to make it at home. I've never heard of it. I have experienced 'summer' and 'winter' in Singapore. I would instead say rainy season and dry season since its always summer!

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  20. The hot weather recently really makes me crazy sometimes. I love this dish very much but the one I have outside usually doesn't come with egg yolk...I prefer yours!

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  21. Whichever version, I think all are very nice comfort food for when we are sick:D I love this, will bookmark this for future cooking...Thanks! So true about too cold air-conditioning:P

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  22. I loveeeeeeeeeeeee this, Shirley!

    Missing my mom's version. But your version looks delightful. Love the salted egg idea. Gonna cook this for my boys one of these days :)

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  23. one of my favorite dish! so delish to eat with rice!

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  24. My grandmother used to cook this a lot! Your version sounds delicious with the homemade soy sauce.

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  25. been looking for this recipe - thks! i love this dish :)

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  26. I love this dish...goes extremely well with Teochew porridge.

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  27. This dish reminds me of my mum and her cooking. Simple, understated but delicious.

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  28. We make a really simplified version of this at home with lightly seasoned minced pork, chicken eggs whisked it and topped with a salted egg yolk. It's just comfort food at its best!

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