Ba Bao Fan

Eight-treasure glutinous rice pudding packed with red dates, lotus seeds, and preserved fruit, steamed in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 kg ground pork
• 300g steamed buns
• 2 tbsp crushed Sichuan peppercorns
• a pinch of star anise
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• a generous handful of bean sprouts
• a handful of fresh chives, chopped
• a generous spoonful of black vinegar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven (or set up your steamer or frying station) and lightly grease your pan or molds with neutral vegetable oil.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk together the jasmine rice and five-spice powder until evenly combined.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, blend the soy sauce with the pork stock until smooth and well incorporated.

4. 4

   Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, taking care not to overmix.

5. 5

   Transfer everything to your prepared pan or molds and cook — bake, steam, chill, or fry — until set, about 45 mins.

6. 6

   Remove from the heat and let it cool completely; this helps the texture firm up perfectly.

7. 7

   Garnish with scallion greens or a dusting of toasted sesame oil.

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