Here is another great recipe for the versatile Chinese cabbage. This recipe was sent to me by my childhood friend Amy, who lives in Tokyo. I had to modify it a bit because the type of readily available ingredients differ from country to country.
In Asia, thinly sliced meat is readily available. However, where I live, the thin slices are still not thin enough for Asian food. So, unless I drive to the Asian markets, I have to slice my own meat and I think that is true in many places. I used to have the butcher do that, but the older I get, the less patience I have….so, what is quite common in the U.S. is chicken tenderloins, and that is what I’ll use as an alternative here. Her original recipe calls for thinly sliced pork and of course please use it if you are lucky to get it!
Steamed Chinese Cabbage with Pork/Chicken
Ingredients
- Chinese Cabbage
- Thinly sliced pork or thinly sliced chicken tenderloins
- lime
- soy sauce
- Japanese turnip if available
Layer the Chinese cabbage with your choice of chicken or pork and steam until done. Pour off excess juices. For the dipping sauce, place equal amounts of soy sauce and lime in a bowl. If you have Japanese turnip, grate and squeeze out excess liquid, then add to sauce. To eat, just dip the cabbage and meat in sauce. Wow so healthy, no oil!
Photo: Pixabay
Jenny, I love Asian cooking! It’s light – and elegant – and simple. It’s a shame you can’t get thinly sliced pork unless you drive to the Asian market or butcher. I’ve never used a steamer either. Someone had given me a bamboo one as a gift once but I wasn’t confident in how to use it. If you wrote a post on how to steam foods in a steamer – I’d be elated!
Hi Angela. You can use your bamboo steamer for this dish! Do you have a wok?
Place the chines cabbage and meat directly on to the bamboo steamer, or you can put it on a dish and place the dish in the steamer. Then pour water in your wok and place the bamboo steamer on top. Turn on the burner until the water boils and the steam will cook your food in the bamboo steamer. Let it steam for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the amount you have inside. What is so nice about a bamboo steamer is that there is a nice aroma when steaming. Hope this works!
Jenny, You’re such a doll! Yes, I have a wok. Thank you! My own personal Asian Cooking lesson – I love it!
I’m having visions of dumplings…..mmmm!
Would I steam rice this way as well?
Angela, yes you can steam dumplings, but for rice it’s a bit more complicated. Start with dumplings!
Jenny,
thank you! I’ll stick to the dumplings.
Angela, I think that’s safer.