CRISPY RICE CAKE WITH
CHINESE SAUSAGE
SERVES 6
21 / 2 tbs rice bran oil
1 tbs finely chopped ginger
1 king brown mushroom, finely chopped
250g sticky rice (from selected
supermarkets and Asian food shops)
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese black (chinkiang) vinegar
(from Asian food shops)
1 tbs kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
4 lap cheong (Chinese sausages – from
Asian food shops), thinly sliced
Pork floss (from Asian food shops) and
thinly sliced spring onion, to serve
SILKY SOY DRESSING
(^1) / 2 cup (125ml) rice bran oil
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs Chinese black (chinkiang) vinegar
(from Asian food shops)
(^1) / 3 cup (80ml) light soy sauce
(^1) / 3 cup (80ml) kecap manis
Line a 22cm steamer with baking paper.
Using a small, sharp knife, make holes at
regular intervals in the baking paper to
allow steam to pass through. Set aside.
To make the rice cake, heat 1 tbs oil in
a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add ginger and mushroom, and cook,
stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until
soft and slightly caramelised. Add the rice
and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until
bright white and heated through. Increase
heat to high, then add soy, vinegar, kecap
manis, 1^1 / 3 cups (330ml) water and a pinch
of salt flakes. Stir to combine, then bring
to the boil. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes
or until thickened, then transfer to the
prepared steamer. Place the steamer over
a saucepan or wok of simmering water
and steam, stirring with a fork halfway,
for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
Spread the cooked rice evenly into
a greased 30cm round serving dish (it
should be about 2cm thick). Cover and
chill for 2 hours or until cooled and set.
Meanwhile, for the dressing, combine
the oils in a small bowl or jug. Combine
vinegar, soy and kecap manis in a narrow
jug. Using a stick blender, blend, slowly
adding combined oils until thick and
combined. Set aside.
To fry the rice cake, heat 1 tbs oil in
a frypan over high heat. Slice rice cake
into large pieces and cook for 2 minutes
each side or until crisp and dark golden.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tsp oil in
another frypan over medium-high heat.
Add Chinese sausage and cook, stirring
occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until
golden. Drain on paper towel.
Return rice cake pieces to serving dish.
Drizzle with dressing and serve scattered
with sausage, pork floss and spring onion.
SICHUAN PORK DUMPLINGS WITH
GARLIC CHIVES AND CHILLI OIL
SERVES 6-8 (MAKES 40 DUMPLINGS)
300g pork mince
100g Chinese cabbage (wombok),
finely chopped
1 tbs finely chopped garlic chives,
plus extra to serve
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp finely grated ginger
3 tsp tamari
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp Chinese rice wine (shaohsing
- from Asian food shops)
1 tsp each caster sugar and ground
white pepper
40 square wonton wrappers
(from Asian food shops and selected
supermarkets)
SPICED VINEGAR
1 star anise(^1) / 4 tsp coriander seeds
(^1) / 2 cinnamon quill
2 whole cloves
(^1) / 3 cup (80ml) Chinese black (chinkiang)
vinegar (from Asian food shops)
(^1) / 3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
11 / 2 tbs caster sugar
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
(^1) / 2 cup spicy chilli sauce (we used
Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chilli Crisp sauce
- from Asian food shops)
Place pork mince and 1 tsp salt flakes
in a stand mixer fitted with the paddleattachment. Beat on medium speed
for 10 minutes or until mince becomes
sticky. Add wombok, garlic chives, garlic,
ginger, tamari, fish sauce, rice wine, sugar
and white pepper, and beat to combine.
Cover and chill for 1 hour to marinate.
For the spiced vinegar, place the star
anise, coriander seeds, cinnamon and
cloves in a frypan over medium heat
and toast, tossing, for 1 minute or until
fragrant. Add 1 cup (250ml) water, then
bring to the boil and cook for 5-6 minutes
or until reduced by half. Set aside to cool.
When cool, strain the mixture into a bowl
and discard the spices. Add the remaining
ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.
To make dumplings, working with
1 dumpling at a time, place 1 tsp filling in
the centre of wrapper with a square edge
facing you. Dip your finger in water and
lightly wet the edge furthest from you,
then fold wrapper in half away from you
to make a rectangle shape, pressing
around the filling to seal. Now, holding
the dumpling upright with the long seam
pointing upwards, fold the 2 bottom
corners underneath the filling, bringing
them together. Wet one of the corners,
then overlap them, pressing tightly to seal
(it should form a small bowl). Set aside
on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Repeat to make 40 wontons.
Bring a pan of water to the boil over
high heat. In batches, cook dumplings
for 4 minutes or until they float and
are cooked through.
Remove with a slotted
spoon and place into
prepared vinegar. Serve
with extra garlic chives.ANDREW MCCONNELL.