Steamed Minced Pork

1 pound boneless pork, ground or finely minced

4 water chestnuts, finely chopped

1 tbs. soy sauce

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon  salt and sugar

 Dash of pepper

1 tsp oil (add only if you use a very lean cut of pork)

  Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Form into a thin pancake in a shallow bowl or on a plate with a rim. Place in a steamer, and steam for 45 minutes. Serves 4.

Variations for

Steamed Minced Pork

The basic recipe above can be varied by adding one of the season­ings listed below. Combine with uncooked pork and proceed as in basic recipe. You can also use all of the pork mixtures as stuffings

Dried mushrooms. Presoak 4 large mushrooms 30 minutes, squeeze out water, and finely chop.

Ham. Finely chop 1/4 pound.

Chinese sausage (lop cheong).Finely chop 2 sausages.

Stuffed Bitter Melon

1/2 pound boneless pork, ground or finely minced

2 water chestnuts, finely chopped

1/2 tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon  salt and sugar

 Dash of pepper

1/2 tsp oil (add only if you use a very lean cut of pork)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cut 2 bitter melons in rounds 1 inch thick; remove seeds. Stuff with meat mixture. Dip filled slices on each side in

Cornstarch; brown lightly in 1 table­spoon oil. Arrange on a plate rubbed with a little sesame oil. Steam 40 minutes.

.Stuffed Green Peppers

1/2 pound boneless pork, ground or finely minced

2 water chestnuts, finely chopped

1/2 tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon  salt and sugar

 Dash of pepper

1/2 tsp oil (add only if you use a very lean cut of pork)

Cut 2 green peppers in quarters and rub lightly with salad oil. Stuff with one-half recipe Steamed Minced Pork  or one of the variations. Arrange on a plate; steam 40 minutes.

Stuffed Bean Cake

1/2 pound boneless pork, ground or finely minced

2 water chestnuts, finely chopped

1/2 tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon  salt and sugar

 Dash of pepper

1/2 tsp oil (add only if you use a very lean cut of pork)

1 Chinese sausage finely chopped

 Cut 16 small squares fried bean cake in half crosswise. Stuff meat mixture inside bean cakes. Arrange filled cakes on two plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon salad oil over the tops. Place in a steamer and steam for 40 minutes. If you do not have a double steaming basket, steam one batch, then the other. You can reheat the first batch in just a few minutes.

Pork and Oysters in Lettuce Packets

2 tablespoons  oil

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/2 pound boneless pork, diced, and mixed with

 1 teaspoon each  cornstarch and soy sauce

 1/4 cup chopped celery

 1/2 cup chopped onion

3 water chestnuts, diced

 1/4 cup diced bamboo shoots

  4 dried mushrooms, presoaked and diced (save soaking liquid)

 4 dried oysters (optional), soaked in water for 24 hours, washed, and diced

 or1/2 lb.small cooked shrimp

 15 edible podded peas, ends and strings removed, and coarsely chopped

 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with1 tablespoon water

 Iceberg lettuce leaves, washed and chilled

Heat oil in a wok . Sprinkle with salt, add pork, and stir­ fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Re­duce heat and cook for 2 minutes. Increase heat and add celery, onion, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and oysters. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the mushroom soaking liquid if mixture seems dry. Add peas and cook for 1 minute. Add oyster sauce. Stir cornstarch water mixture, pour into pan, and cook until thickened. To eat, wrap each bite inside a lettuce leaf. Serves 6.

Mu Shu Pork­ Pork with Lily Buds and Egg

This pork mixture is usually folded inside a Mandarin pancake. (Or look in the frozen food section of your market for lumpia or egg roll wrap­pers; you can use them instead. To reheat the thawed wrappers, follow the directions for steaming Mandarin pancakes (right). Since the wrap­pers dry out quickly in reheating I sometimes serve them at room tem­perature. The filling is sizzling hot and the contrast is fine.

1/2 cup dried lily buds

5 dried cloud ear mushrooms

 Oil for frying

3 eggs, beaten with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound boneless pork, cut in match­stick strips and coated with 1 tea­spoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1/2 pound bean sprouts, washed and drained

Mandarin pancakes or lump;a wrappers

Hois;i sauce or plum sauce

3 green onions, cut in 11/2 -inch lengths and shredded

Soak lily buds in warm water for 30 minutes; drain, break off tough stem ends, and cut each bud in half. Soak cloud ears in warm water for 30 minutes; snap off hard stems, wash, and cut in 1/4 inch-thick strips. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok . Add eggs and scramble over medium low heat until soft curds form. Transfer to a bowl and break up with a fork. Rinse wok.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add pork and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add lily buds and cloud ears and stir-fry 1 minute. Reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add ginger and stir around pan once. Immediately add bean sprouts and stir-fry 2 minutes. Return pork mixture and eggs and stir-fry only to reheat.

Each person puts a little hoisin or plum sauce on a pancake, spoons on some of the pork filling, adds green onions if desired, and rolls and folds the wrapper around the filling. Makes enough to fill 12 wrappers.

PORK AND BAMBOO SHOOTS

2 lbs.  Lean pork

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbs dry  sherry

1 tsp  brown sugar

1 tsp  ground ginger

1 quart water

4 oz  bamboo shoots

Cut the pork into small cubes. Mix the soy sauce, sherry, sugar and ginger together, add to the pork, toss well and leave for 10 minutes.

Put pork and flavorings in a large pan, add the water and bring gently to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Drain bamboo shoots and shred finely, add to the pan and simmer for 10

Minutes. If wished, liquid may be thickened with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mixed with a little cold water.