Cha Trung Hap (Steamed Pork and Egg Loaf)

Ingredients

• 50 g glass noodles
• 20 g wood ear mushroom, dried
• 500 g ground pork
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 3 spring onion, finely sliced
• 3 egg
• 2 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 300 g white rice
• 150 g pickled daikon and carrot

Method

1. 1.

   Soak the noodles and mushrooms — Soak the glass noodles and the dried wood ear separately in plenty of warm water for 20 minutes, until the noodles are pliable and the mushrooms have swollen to three times their size. Drain both well.

2. 2.

   Mix the pork filling — Snip the noodles into 3 cm lengths and chop the wood ear finely. Mix them into the pork with the onion, two-thirds of the spring onion, the whole eggs, fish sauce, sugar, pepper and salt, stirring in one direction for a minute until the mixture turns tacky.

3. 3.

   Pack it into the dish — Oil a shallow heatproof dish about 20 cm across and pack the mixture in, pressing out air pockets and levelling the top with the back of a wet spoon so it steams evenly.

4. 4.

   Steam the loaf — Set the dish on a rack in a steamer over simmering water, cover and steam for 25 minutes. Wrap the lid in a cloth so drips do not pit the surface. The loaf is done when a skewer comes out clean and the juices run pale.

5. 5.

   Glaze with egg yolk — Beat the egg yolks with a few drops of oil and brush them over the top in a thin, even film. Steam uncovered for 5 minutes more, until the glaze sets to a glossy deep yellow.

6. 6.

   Rest, then slice and serve — Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges or neat squares. Serve warm over steamed white rice with the pickled daikon and carrot and the reserved spring onion, or chill it and pack it cold for a lunch box.