Steamed Buddha's Hands

mersaydees's Note:

This is based on a recipe from Sonoko Kondo's cookbook, The Poetical Pursuit of Food, sub-titled, Japanese Recipes for American Cooks. Sonoko says in the recipe's intro: "The hand-shaped Chinese cabbage leaves, when stuffed with ground pork, are traditionally said to resemble the graceful hands of Buddha. This dish is steamed, light and healthful."

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 8 large napa cabbage leaves
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 ½ teaspoons gingerroot , peeled and grated
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch , mixed with 1 teaspoon water
• ¼ cup fresh peas

Directions:

1. Separate the cabbage leaves removing the soft, leafy portion; only the firm, white part is used.
2. Slit each leaf lengthwise at 1/4-ince intervals to within 3/4-inch of the top and bottom.
3. In a large pot of boiling water, add the leave and boil for 1 minute. Drain.
4. In a bowl combine ground pork with ginger, salt, sake, and egg.
5. Sprinkle cornstarch on cooked cabbage leaves. Spread pork mixture across each leaf and fold the leaf over to enclose the filling. The folded stuffed cabbage should remind you of hands.
6. In a steamer, heat water. Arrange stuffed cabbage leaves on a plate, seam side down, and place them in the hot steamer for 15 minutes. Reserve the broth in the steamer for the sauce.
7. Combine reserved broth with water to measure 1 cup and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Add soy sauce and cornstarch paste and return to a boil; remove from heat.
8. Cook the peas briefly in boiling water, just until tender.
9. Arrange steamed Buddha's hands on individual plates. Sprinkle with cooked peas and pour the hot sauce over the cabbage.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice.