Zha Choi Jeng Ju Yok (榨菜蒸豬肉)

This was one of my mum’s childhood dishes. It’s a simple Cantonese home-style dish of juicy minced pork steamed with salty, savoury zha choi. The kind of humble, comforting food that is best served piping hot with rice.

Ingredients:

- 500g fatty minced pork
- 1 whole zha choi, preserved mustard stem
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp neutral cooking oil

Instructions :

1. Cut the zha choi into slices and soak them in a bowl of water.
2. Change the water a few times to remove the excess salt.
3. Shred the zha choi, then soak it again. Taste a piece and continue soaking if it is still very salty.
4. Drain well and squeeze out as much water as possible. Set aside.
5. Place the minced pork in a bowl. Add the sugar, salt, light soy sauce, cornflour and water.
6. Mix until the seasonings and water have been absorbed. Add the oil and mix lightly, taking care not to overwork the pork.
7. Fold the shredded zha choi evenly through the minced pork.
8. Spread the mixture onto a heatproof steaming plate, pressing it into an even layer.
9. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes, or until the pork is completely cooked through.
10. Serve immediately with hot rice, spooning the juices from the plate over the top.