Charles Phan's Steamed Ground Pork with Salted Fish

Name: Charles Phan's Steamed Ground Pork with Salted Fish
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 pound boneless country pork spareribs or ground pork; 3 medium shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and finely chopped; 1 medium shallot, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more as needed; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling; Salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 (2-by-1-inch-long and 1/2-inch-thick) piece salted mackerel or 5 anchovy fillets; 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, then cut into very thin matchsticks; Basic Steamed White Rice, for serving

Fish Pork San Francisco Bay Area Asian Chinese Steaming Ground Pork Fusion Weeknight Dinner Pescatarian Main Dish Easy

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4 servings Easy

Total: About 30 mins

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Ingredients (11)

1/2 pound boneless country pork spareribs or ground pork
3 medium shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (2-by-1-inch-long and 1/2-inch-thick) piece salted mackerel or 5 anchovy fillets
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, then cut into very thin matchsticks
Basic Steamed White Rice, for serving

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Nutritional Information

Calories197
Fat14.65g
Saturated fat4.46g
Trans fat0.13g
Carbs6.16g
Fiber1.17g
Sugar1.91g
Protein10.24g
Cholesterol46.21mg
Sodium440.28mg
Nutritional Analysis per serving (4 servings) Powered by

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This Go-To Dish from San Francisco restaurateur Charles Phan of Slanted Door, Out the Door, and Heaven’s Dog could be an umami icon: Salty fish over flavorful ground pork and ginger sticks epitomizes the idea of savory. Pair it with steamed rice and sautéed bok choy.

What to buy: Phan uses salted mackerel, which can be found at many Asian (particularly Chinese) markets either in the frozen section or packed in oil on the shelf. If you cannot find salted mackerel, Phan suggests using any salted fish, called haam yee or hom yu at Chinese grocers. Salted anchovies or sardines, available at most grocery stores, also make good substitutes for salted mackerel.

Special equipment: If you don’t have a large wok and/or a large bamboo steamer, create your own steamer: Take two 24-inch-long pieces of aluminum foil and loosely roll and crumple each one widthwise into a 1-inch-thick piece. Form each piece into an S shape and place both in a large frying pan or a large straight-sided pan with a tightfitting lid. Add an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. Proceed with the recipe, placing the heatproof dish on top of the foil coils rather than in a bamboo steamer.

Adapted from Charles Phan

Tips for Fish and Pork

Tip

How to Store Fish

The best way to store fish is over ice. Remove the fish from its original packaging, rinse under cold water, and dry with paper towels. Set fish on a cooling rack and place inside a container filled with crushed ice. The ice should reach just beneath the fish, but shouldn’t touch it. Cover the container, rack, and fish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the fridge. If the fish is stored longer than 24 hours, be sure to swap out the melted ice with a new batch. Ideally, any fresh fish should not be stored for more than two days.

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Next: How to Freeze Fish

Tip

How to Freeze Fish

Some fish can be frozen for up to year (with three months as the standard), but its freshness depends entirely on its exposure to air. To limit this from taking place, you should first clean the fish, wrap it in aluminum foil or freezer paper, and place it in a freezer bag. Press down on the bag before closing to eliminate any excess air.

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Next: How to Thaw Fish

Tip

How to Thaw Fish

Thawing frozen fish is quite an easy process. Simply leave it in the refrigerator overnight or place the wrapped fish in a bowl of cold water. Don’t microwave the fish, as some sections will cook while others are continuing to thaw.

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Next: How to Freeze Pork

Tip

How to Freeze Pork

Pork fares best in the freezer if packaged with freezer-friendly materials like waxed paper, aluminum foil, or heavy-duty plastic bags. Wrap any meat tightly so that air does not escape and freeze at 0°F. Generally, fresh cuts of pork can last up to six months, while ground pork can last up to three.

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Next: How to Thaw Pork

Tip

How to Thaw Pork

Pork is easiest to thaw when placed in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Small roasts will take three to five hours per pound, while larger roasts can take up to seven hours per pound. Thawing ground pork depends entirely on the thickness of its packaging.

It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.

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Next: How to Store Pork

Tip

How to Store Pork

Sealed pork products can typically last in the fridge for two to four days, with ground pork having a slightly shorter shelf life at one to three. Ham or other smoked pork products like bacon can be stored for up to a week, though this only applies to products that aren’t vacuum sealed or prepared with preservatives. The latter can obviously last a lot longer.

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Next: How to Store Fish

Instructions

1Fill a large wok with 1 inch of water and place a large bamboo steamer inside. (The water should not touch the bottom of the steamer.) If you don’t have a wok and a bamboo steamer, use a large frying pan and foil as described above in “Special equipment.” Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.
2Meanwhile, if using country spareribs, chop the meat with a knife or cleaver until very fine and pastelike.
3Place pork (chopped or ground) in a medium bowl. Add mushrooms, shallot, fish sauce, cornstarch, oil, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Check mixture for proper seasoning by forming a small, thin patty. Pan-fry it until the center is no longer pink. Taste, adding additional fish sauce, salt, or pepper as needed, keeping in mind that there will be additional salt in the dish from the salted fish.
4Place pork mixture in a slightly rimmed (to contain the juices) heatproof dish about 8 inches in diameter. Press the pork across the dish to form a large 1/4-inch-thick patty. If using salted mackerel, place it in the center of the pork patty. If using anchovies, scatter them in a single layer on top of the pork patty. Evenly sprinkle with ginger and drizzle with a little olive oil. Carefully place the dish in the bamboo steamer or on top of the foil coils. Cover the wok or frying pan with a tightfitting lid or a sheet of aluminum foil and steam until the mixture is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

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