I love this Hakka dish for its simplicity. I associate this dish with my popo (grandma) who used to whisk this up for Sunday dinners. I remember being content polishing off a small chunk of this tasty dish (yes we have to share) with nothing else but plain rice and I would even pray I got the chunk with the most salted duck egg yolk! Popo’s rendition of this dish doesn’t come with garnishings so if I had left the dish nude, one might be put off by the pallid grey of its appearance; dare I say it – like mushy brains although I never really saw it that way. Don’t be fooled by appearances; this is one mighty tasty dish. I especially love the look of the salted duck egg yolk bits peeking out from the surface. Typically, this dish is made with just pork mince and regular eggs; adding the salted duck egg yolk gives it more richness whilst another variant includes salted fish or even chinese mushrooms. It is dead easy and very versatile so have fun with it!
Salted Duck Egg Yolk: Look at that glorious deep orange!
served with plain rice and a side of stir-fried kang kung (water spinach)
Steamed Egg and Pork Mince with Salted Duck Egg Yolk
(A) 500 g pork mince (lean)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
(B) 4 eggs
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
(C) 2 x salted duck egg yolks (you can use the salted egg-whites as well but might have to adjust the soy sauce amount)
to garnish
chopped spring onion
fried shallots
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Mix the pork mince with the seasoning in (A); place pork mince in a deep enamel dish (about 22 cm diameter)
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Roughly chop or cut (C) into chunks or smaller pieces and distribute evenly into the pork mince.
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Lightly beat (B); then pour mixture into the dish to cover the pork mince.
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In a steamer, bring water to the boil; then steam the dish covered for 30 minutes.
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Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped spring onion and fried shallots; serve with plain rice.
I add century eggs to this dish as well. That way I have a steamy 3-eggs affair. To have a smooth steamed surface, try steaming on low heat. Check by piercing at the center of the dish during intervals. Note; I used less meat and more egg mixture.