ChineseTian shao bai (sweet pork belly over sticky rice)
Hinged pork belly slices filled with red bean paste, steamed over sweet glutinous rice and turned out
Tian shao bai is one of the 'three steamed bowls' of a Sichuan countryside banquet, and no Spring Festival feast there is complete without it. Thick slices of pork belly are cut into hinged pockets, filled with sweet red bean paste and packed into a bowl over glutinous rice with brown sugar, then steamed for hours and turned out as a glossy dome: sweetness for the year ahead and a richness that says the harvest was good. The pork fat melts into the rice, the skin turns soft and wobbly, and the bean paste and sugar make it rich and sticky like a pudding. Serve it towards the end of the meal in small portions with tea. Chef's tip: chill the boiled belly before slicing; cold pork cuts into clean, even slices that hold together.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 640 kcal
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1 ⅛ lb skin-on pork bellyin one rectangular piece, about 8 cm wide
- ½ oz fresh gingersliced
- 7 oz sweet red bean paste
- ⅔ oz brown sugarfor the skin
For the rice
- 9 oz glutinous (sticky) ricesoaked 4 hours or overnight, drained
- 2 ⅛ oz brown sugar
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 6 dried red dates (jujubes) (optional)pitted, halved
To serve
- 1 tbsp white sugar (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb skin-on pork belly and ½ oz fresh ginger in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes, until a chopstick pierces the skin easily. Lift out and chill for 30 minutes, until firm.
30 minStep 2: Steam 9 oz glutinous (sticky) rice on a lined steamer over a high heat for 20 minutes, until just tender, then mix with 2 ⅛ oz brown sugar and 1 tbsp neutral oil while hot.
20 minStep 3: Cut the chilled pork across into slices 8 mm thick, cutting only three-quarters of the way through on every first cut and all the way through on the second, to make hinged pairs.
10 minStep 4: Open each pair and spread a tablespoon of 7 oz sweet red bean paste inside, then close it like a sandwich.
10 minStep 5: Rub the inside of a 1 litre heatproof bowl with a little of the rice oil, scatter in ⅔ oz brown sugar and arrange the pork sandwiches skin-side down in overlapping rows, filling the bowl neatly. Common mistake: placing them loosely; they shift and the dome falls apart when turned out.
8 minStep 6: Tuck 6 dried red dates (jujubes) between the slices if using, pack the sweet rice on top and press firmly to level.
3 minStep 7: Cover with foil and steam over a medium-high heat for 2 hours, topping up the boiling water as needed, until the skin is soft and wobbly and the fat translucent; the belly will be well beyond 145°F.
120 minStep 8: Rest for 3 minutes, then put a plate over the bowl and turn it out in one confident movement. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp white sugar and serve warm.
4 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tian shao bai (sweet pork belly over sticky rice) take?
- About 195 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
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