Steamed Minced Pork (Dong Cai / Mei Cai / Water Chestnut / Salted Fish)

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Coarsely mince all 1 kg pork without rinsing raw meat. Divide it into four equal 250 g portions in four separate bowls: dong cai, mei cai, water chestnut and salted fish.

   Uses 1 kg minced pork, divided into four 250 g portions

2. 2

   Step 2: Rinse all 100 g dong cai several times to remove grit. Squeeze dry, coarsely chop and mix it into the first 250 g pork portion.

   Uses First 250 g portion of the four-part pork supply · 100 g dong cai (Tianjin preserved cabbage) · Water drawn to rinse dong cai, discarded

3. 3

   Step 3: Open the mei-cai leaves and wash thoroughly to remove sand and loose salt. Soak all 100 g for about 15 minutes, until excess salt is reduced to your preference while the preserved flavour remains. Salty mei cai (100 g) may need longer. Squeeze dry, coarsely chop and mix into the second 250 g pork portion.

   Check mei cai after 15 minutes · 15 minUses Second 250 g portion of the four-part pork supply · 100 g salty mei cai (preserved mustard greens) · Water drawn to wash and soak mei cai, discarded

4. 4

   Step 4: Scrub the 8–10 water chestnuts, trim their tops and bottoms and peel. Rinse and dice the edible flesh into small cubes without crushing it, then mix into the third 250 g pork portion.

   Uses Third 250 g portion of the four-part pork supply · 8-10 Water Chestnut · Water used to scrub water chestnuts, discarded

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove any bones from the 50 g purchased salted fish and pat dry. Peel and finely shred all 3–4 ginger slices. Keep fish and ginger separate from the plain fourth pork portion for topping later.

   Uses 50 g purchased Mui Heong salted fish · 3-4 slices Ginger (For the Salted Fish Version only)

6. 6

   Step 6: Keeping all four mixtures separate, add to each bowl 1½ tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp sesame oil and 70 ml water. Add up to 1 tsp light soy sauce, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper to each; reduce the soy and salt in the salted-fish bowl if that fish is very salty. The four bowls together use all 6 tsp starch, 4 tbsp oil, 2 tsp sesame oil and 280 ml mixing water. Any unused soy sauce remains separate.

   Uses All first pork-and-dong-cai mixture, separate from discarded rinsing water · All second pork-and-mei-cai mixture, separate from washing water · All third pork-and-chestnut mixture, separate from peelings and washing water · Fourth 250 g portion, kept separate for salted-fish topping · 6 tsp cornstarch, divided into four 1½ tsp portions · Light soy sauce divided as up to 1 tsp per bowl; reduce the salted-fish share if needed · 4 TBsp Oil (To be divided into 4 portions) · 2 tsp Sesame Oil (To be divided into 4 portions)

7. 7

   Step 7: Stir each bowl vigorously on its own until the meat is sticky and dense. Do not combine the four flavours.

   Uses All four seasoned mixtures, separate from any unused soy sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Transfer each mixture to its own heatproof steaming plate. Press firmly and level with a spoon, keeping each patty at least about 2 cm thick rather than spreading it across an oversized plate.

   Uses All four prepared mixtures, kept separate

9. 9

   Step 9: Top only the fourth, plain pork patty with all the prepared salted fish and shredded ginger. Keep the other three flavours separate.

   Uses All four shaped patties in separate plates · All boned salted fish and shredded ginger, separate from discarded bones

10. 10

    Step 10: Cover and refrigerate all four plates for about 30 minutes to firm the meat before steaming.

    Pork patties ready to steam · 30 minUses All four assembled plates

11. 11

    Step 11: Bring the steamer water to a full boil, keeping it below the plates. Put in as many plates as the steamer can hold without crowding and cover. Once steady steam resumes, steam over high heat for about 15 minutes, then check. Continue until every pork patty reaches 71°C / 160°F at its centre and the salted fish is fully cooked. Keep unused raw plates refrigerated and repeat the full steaming procedure for them. Prevent the base boiling dry, topping up below the insert with hot water only if needed.

    Check pork patties after 15 minutes · 15 minUses All four cold plates; actual plates steaming depend on steamer capacity · External water below the food plates and conditional hot top-up

12. 12

    Step 12: Serve all four cooked flavours hot with their plate gravy, sharing as eight side portions. Add optional ready cooked rice alongside.

    Uses All four completed patties and their plate gravy, separate from external water · Optional ready cooked rice served alongside