It is a recipe from our late Gran who grew up in Hong Kong, she was a wonderful cook with both Asian and English influences. There are a lot of asian inspired dishes that are steamed, the food is cooked over a steamer, so the food ends up soft but doesn't colour up, I guess that is why this dish in particular isn't so visually appealing. But honestly what it lacks in looks it makes up in wonderful flavour.
The almost umami flavours come from a combination of salty light soy sauce and deep woody dried shiitake mushrooms, ginger is added also to bring a little zing. The actual cucumber boats that the mixture is steamed in tastes just like a cucumber normally does, but softer and of course it absorbs the slight saltiness from the soy.
Even if you never give it a go, I think it is interesting to see how other cultures use different vegetables.
Ingredients for Steamed Cucumbers with Pork, Ginger and Shiitake Mushrooms, clockwise from top right-3 large everyday green cucumbers, 2 spring onions, finely chopped, 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water for 30 minutes then finely chopped, 2 good thumb sized pieces of ginger finely sliced, 2 teaspoons of cornflour, 500 grams of pork mince and 1/4 cup of light soy sauce
Add everything except the cucumbers to a large bowl
And mix really well
Peel the cucumbers, cut in half length ways and de-seed, you now have little boats to fill with the pork mixture
Put onto a large plate that will sit into your steamer and steam for 35 to 45 minutes or until cucumbers are just soft and the pork mince mixture is firm. I start checking at the 35 minute mark
See, not a pretty dish but truly delicious
I served ours with steamed basmati rice, asian greens and my quick asian omelette. This dish produces a lovely light sauce that you spoon over the rice and asian greens.
Would you make this? Do you think your family would like it?
Have a lovely day,
💗Fi
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