Steamy Rice Dimsum: A Quick, Easy, Delicious Treat

Steamed rice is a popular dish in Cebu, Philippines. It is a dim sum dish that is typically made with pork belly, shrimp, and garlic fried rice. The dish is cooked by stir-frying the ingredients and then steaming them in a rice cooker or steamer. The key to the dish's flavour is the use of a variety of sauces such as oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. The rice is also seasoned with sesame oil, and the pork is marinated in a mixture of cornstarch, wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and black or white pepper powder. The dish is then typically served in individual bowls, with the fried rice at the bottom and the pork and shrimp stew on top.

Prepare your ingredients

Preparing the ingredients for steamed rice dim sum is simple and easy. First, you will need to cut your choice of meat into small, bite-sized cubes. Pork belly is a popular choice, but you can also use pork collar butt or pork tenderloin. Next, gather your aromatics: garlic, shallots, and ginger (optional). These will be the base flavours of your dish.

For the sauce, you will need light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine or rice wine, sesame oil, and tapioca or corn starch for thickening. You can also add a pinch of ground black or white pepper powder for a subtle kick. If you want to include vegetables, green peas are a classic choice, but you can also add mushrooms or chopped green onions for extra colour and texture.

Finally, for the rice, it is best to use cooled, cooked jasmine rice. You will also need eggs to make the classic egg-fried rice base. Some recipes also call for chicken broth or stock cubes, so have those on hand as well.

With these ingredients prepared and ready to go, you are now just a few steps away from enjoying delicious steamed rice dim sum!

Marinate the pork

To marinate the pork, you'll need the following:

• 1 pound pork belly, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

You can also try these variations:

• Add a few drops of sesame oil to enhance the flavour.
• Marinate the meat with cornstarch, salt, sugar, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil for 30 minutes.
• Marinate the pork with baking powder and some salt for 15 minutes.

Fry the pork

To fry the pork for your steamed rice dim sum, start by cutting your chosen cut of pork into cubes. You can use pork belly, or collar butt, or another cut with good lean meat and some fat. Cut the pork into 3/4-inch cubes, or 2 cm x 2 cm cubes.

Next, mix the cubed pork with the marinade ingredients: Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper (or white pepper powder). Ensure the pork is well coated, then place the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

After the pork has marinated, it's time to fry it. Heat some vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. The amount of oil will depend on your pot size, but ensure there is enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Add garlic and shallots to the hot oil and cook, stirring frequently, until they become fragrant, which should take about 1 minute.

Now, add the pork pieces to the pot and fry them until they are browned. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Once the pork is browned, pour in water, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. You can also substitute a pinch of sugar for the dark soy sauce if you prefer. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the stew to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the pork is tender and the water has reduced by half. This should take around 30-45 minutes. You can then add the shrimp and peas to the pot and cook until the shrimp changes colour, which should take about 2 minutes.

Your fried pork is now ready to be served with the rest of the dish.

Make the sauce

In a separate wok, add oil and sauté garlic, ginger and shallots. Bring the heat to high, then add the Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then add the pork and continue to boil for five minutes.

Combine and mix well the tapioca starch and water. Still on high heat, add the prawns, green peas and tapioca starch slurry. Continue to boil for three minutes or until the sauce becomes thick. You can adjust the thickness of the sauce to your liking by adding more tapioca starch or water.

Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil. Season with salt.

Steam the dish

To steam the dish, you will need to prepare your egg-fried rice. Using a wok, heat up oil until it nearly reaches its smoking point. Add rice and salt and stir-fry for a minute. Make a well in the middle of the wok, then pour in beaten eggs. Once cooked, mix it together with the rice. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg-fried rice on bowls and press it firmly to the bottom. Top it with the cooked meat mixture, place on a steamer, and steam on high heat for 7-10 minutes.

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