MY SANG CHOI BAO

This recipe is a combination of the recipes from Adam Liaw, Karen Martini and Kylie Kwong. You can have it as an entrée, but we usually eat it as main. No need to cook anything else.

INGREDIENTS:

500g pork and veal mince

1 Tbsp grated ginger 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 dried shiitake mushrooms (or fresh if you can find them)

1 small carrot, peeled and finely sliced

12 green beans, cut into 1cm length

1 stick of celery, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely sliced

2 long red chillies, finely sliced

2 spring onions, finely sliced

a handful of coriander sprigs

4 Tbsp peanuts, toasted

2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp cornflour

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 Tbsp peanut oil or any other vegetable oil

1 iceberg lettuce

2 Tbsp hoisin sauce, to serve

METHOD

Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes, then remove from the liquid (reserving the liquid), discard the stems and dice the caps.

Cut the root out of the lettuce and carefully separate the leaves without tearing them. Wash under cold running water and hold in a large bowl or sink full of cold water for 30 minutes or until ready to use.

Finely slice the carrot lengthways into very thin ribbons. Cut carrot into fine julienne and set aside.

Prepare the rest of the vegetables and set aside.

Mix the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, cornflour, sesame oil, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat, pour in the oil, ginger and garlic and cook for 20 seconds.

Stir in the mince, break up and fry for 1 minute. 

Add the onion, mushroom, celery and beans and stir-fry for another minute.

Add the Shaoxing mixture to the wok and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Add the carrot, half the spring onions and chilli. Mix well and remove from heat immediately.

Pile the pork mixture into a large bowl and garnish with the nuts, coriander, and the rest of the spring onion and chilli. 

For the sauce, mix together the hoisin sauce and 2 Tbsp of the shiitake soaking liquid, and transfer to a small bowl for serving.

Serve the filling and sauce with the lettuce leaves.

To assemble the sang choi bao, spoon some filling into a lettuce cup and drizzle over a little of the sauce. Roll up to enclose the filling and eat with your fingers!

Serves 4-6

"TIP: For something different, try this with chicken or turkey mince. Minced duck breast is especially good. (Adam Liaw)"