The Ultimate Rice Cooker (64 page)
dim sum , dolmas , and tamales : LITTLE BITES
Barbecued Pork Buns (Char Siu Bau)
Dolmas Stuffed with Lamb, Rice, and Almonds
Dolmas with Figs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Winter Squash and Cilantro Tamales
One of the delights of the on/off rice cookers is the ability to steam-cook foods like dim sum, dolmas, and tamales, all of which require special equipment if done on the stovetop. These out-of-hand little bites ended up being one of our favorite, and exceptionally convenient, ways to use the rice cooker. Whether as a before-dinner snack, as a buffet item, or a light meal, these tidbits are the best offerings from a variety of traditional world cuisine foods.
DIM SUM
Yum cha
, or “to drink tea,” is a morning tea and snack ritual in Chinese teahouses. The snacks are called dim sum, steamed or fried foods in diminutive, bite-size proportions served fresh and hot. Dim sum translates into the eloquent Cantonese saying, “touched by the heart.” It is a buffet served from carts stacked with steamer baskets in teahouses that specialize in serving dim sum. The finger-food appetizers include steamed dumplings, vegetables, bits of fish and meat savories, shrimp, pearl rice balls, spring rolls, and pastries. Dim sum is also served in larger portions with salad and rice as the traditional Sunday morning meal that would be a brunch in the United States.
Although rice is served in the south of China, bread is a staple in the north, where fields of wheat, corn, and millet grow. Once the Chinese learned the art of milling over 2,000 years ago, they began to make noodles and steam breads made with a natural sour starter, since they did not have enclosed ovens, except for the occasional tandoori-style one. For dim sum, breads are steamed into rolls or filled with some sort of meat filling. Steamed breads have always been esteemed products of the kitchen; the Imperial Mings made a different bread every day of the month to take to the temples in honor of their ancestors. These steamed breads are now part of the dim sum kitchen.
Since many dim sum specialties are steamed, the on/off rice cooker is a perfect tool for them. Many rice cookers come with a metal steamer tray that fits into the top of the cooker. One of Beth’s cookers came with a stack of three transparent plastic baskets, which mimic the traditional bamboo ones. These are really ideal for dim sum, but either type works fine. The water in the steamer should be boiling vigorously when the food-laden baskets are set in place and the timing for the cooking begins. The filled baskets should be situated well above the surface of the hot water so that the water doesn’t touch or bubble up over into it. The tight-fitting heat-resistant glass cover is put on top to close the unit and efficiently enclose the steam (no mismatched covers, please). You can fill one or both of the stacked steamer baskets to cook at one time. We don’t recommend using a third tier; rather, cook in a second batch so that all the food is cooked thoroughly and evenly. If your cooker came with only a single metal tray, you will be steaming dim sum in batches.
The medium or large rice cooker is advised for steaming dim sum, because it is important to have as large a pot as possible to hold enough water to create a lot of intense steam to circulate around the food. You want a steady volume of steam to be released during the entire cooking time, so the right amount of water in the bowl is important. If you must, add only boiling water to replenish.
The delicate steamed dumplings known as dumpling blossoms (
shao mai
in Mandarin and
siu mai
in Cantonese) are named such because of the shape, like a little pouch with frilly edges and a peek at the filling. It is a favorite shape for dim sum, along with ones shaped like half-moons, closed pouches, and an origami-like double fold enticingly called a phoenix eye. The chicken-and-ginger filling is a very flavorful, lowfat version.
MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) or large
(10-cup) rice cooker; on/off only
CYCLE: Regular
YIELD: 30 dumplings
DUMPLINGS
1½ pounds ground chicken
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 to 3 large lettuce or Napa cabbage leaves, for lining steamer basket
30 wonton or
siu mai
wrappers
DIPPING SAUCE
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon Chinese hot chile sauce
1. In a medium-size bowl, combine the dumpling ingredients except the lettuce leaves and wrappers; mix well with a fork. Refrigerate for 4 hours to chill and firm up the mixture.
2. Fill the rice cooker bowl one-quarter full of water, close the cover, and set for the regular cycle. If the water boils before you are ready to cook the
siu mai
, flip the switch to the Keep Warm position (switch back for cooking).
3. Line two steamer baskets with a single layer of the lettuce or cabbage leaves. Place the wrappers on the side of your workspace, covered with damp paper towels to prevent drying. If using wonton wrappers, trim the edges to form circles. Take one wrapper and brush with some cold water (this helps the wrapper to stick to the meat mixture). Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, spreading it around the center. Use your fingers to gather up and pleat the wrapper around the filling to form an open-topped cup; carefully squeeze the middle to give it a waist and flare it to make a slightly open end. Tap each dumpling on the work surface a few times to flatten the bottom so it will stand upright in the steamer basket. (Alternatively, you can use your fingers to fold the wrapper into a half-moon and pleat the edge to seal.) Set the filled
siu mai
in the lined steamer baskets, at least an inch apart; cover with a damp cloth while filling the remaining wrappers.
CLICK TO SEE ASIAN INGREDIENTS
4. Place the steamer baskets over the boiling water in the rice cooker and close the cover. Set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes and steam until the filling is cooked through (cut one open to test).
5. While the dumplings are steaming, make the dipping sauce. Place the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl; stir to combine.
6. Serve the dumplings hot, with little individual bowls of dipping sauce.
note:
The uncooked filled dumplings can be frozen, close together, but not touching, on a lined baking sheet. After 6 to 8 hours, remove them from the sheet and store in plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 2 months. To cook, just remove from the bag and arrange in the lined steamer baskets. Steam frozen, doubling the cooking time.
We feel really lucky to have this delicious, delicious, delicious vegetarian dim sum recipe from Master Chef Martin Yan, the celebrated host of more than 1,500 TV cooking shows and author of
Martin Yan’s Feast: The Best of
Yan Can Cook
(Bay Books & Tapes, 1998), his definitive work to date. Born in Guangzhou, in the Canton region of China (the birthplace of the art of dim sum), Yan entered the culinary world at age 13 with his apprenticeship at a Hong Kong restaurant. These
siu mai
dumplings are hearty and flavor-packed. We dare you to stop eating them once you have started! They are filled with tofu, but you’d never guess. It’s important to steam them filled side down; otherwise, they’ll stick to the steamer plate. Serve with soy sauce or Chinese mustard for dipping, if desired, or make a simple dipping sauce from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chile oil.
MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) or large
(10-cup) rice cooker; on/off only
CYCLE: Regular
YIELD: 30 dumplings
DUMPLINGS
1 pound (1 package) firm tofu, drained and mashed
2 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped water chestnuts
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (available in Chinese markets) or medium-dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1½ teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
30 wonton or
siu mai
wrappers
DIPPING SAUCE
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¾ to 1 teaspoon hot sesame oil, to your taste
1. Cut the tofu into 4 sections and place in a linen dish towel. Gather the towel edges together and twist to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the tofu to a medium-size bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. Add the remaining dumpling ingredients except the wrappers and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Fill the rice cooker bowl one-quarter full of water, close the cover, and set for the regular cycle. If the water boils before you are ready to cook the
siu mai
, flip the switch to the Keep Warm position (switch back for cooking).
3. Place the wrappers on the side of your workspace, covered with damp paper towels to prevent drying. If using wonton wrappers, trim the edges to form circles. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Use your fingers to gather up and pleat the wrapper around the filling to form an open-topped cup; carefully squeeze the middle to give it a waist, and flare it to make a slightly open end.
4. When all the dumplings are made, arrange them, filling side down, without crowding, on a lightly greased glass pie plate (or other heatproof plate or shallow dish) that will fit inside your steamer basket with some clearance all around. Set the plate on the steamer basket. Place the steamer basket over the boiling water in the cooker and close the cover. Set a timer for 12 minutes and steam until the filling in heated through (cut one open to test).
5. While the dumplings are steaming, make the dipping sauce. Place the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl; whisk to combine.
6. Serve the dumplings hot, with little individual bowls of dipping sauce.
These steamed meatballs covered with sticky rice (the pearls) are tasty additions to a dim sum meal. They also make great party food. Traditionally made with ground pork, we prefer a lighter version made with ground chicken. A mix of ground beef and ground turkey breast is another lower-fat yet flavorful choice. Pearl balls were the first thing Julie’s friend Ming-man Hsieh learned to cook as a girl in Taiwan. We adapted the recipe only slightly.