Chinese Sui Mai Cabbage Rolls

I nearly didn't make these last night. I didn't feel like cooking and although had planned what to make with pack of pork mince, I felt (wrongly as it turned out) that they would take too long to make. They took just over 10 mins to put together and in the 20 mins cooking time, I made the rice and the dip. And the garnish. Excellent!

It was a lonely pack of pork mince that was sitting in a relatively empty fridge yesterday morning, that brought me to this. Initially they were going to be Polish cabbage rolls, but I fancied Chinese flavours, so I grabbed some frozen prawns and instead filled them with a sui mai filling. Now, sui mai is normally a Chinese dim sum dumpling, which has the same filling as this recipe - but would normally be wrapped in a wonton wrapper. These are wrapped in cabbage leaves and I love them!

Ingredients:    (Makes 8 rolls)

500g pork mince
140g small cooked prawns (or shrimp)
1 tbsp. finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
salt & pepper
8 leaves savoy cabbage, ends of thick stem cut away in a 'v' shape

Method:

Boil the kettle and fill a large pot with the cabbage leaves. Bring up to boil on a medium heat for about 4 minutes and then remove from the water with a slotted spoon.

In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients. Lay a cabbage leaf on a board with the stalk end nearest to you. Put about 3 tbsp. of the mix onto the end of the leaf and roll once. Bring in the sides of the leaf and roll forward a second time. Do it quite tightly, but being careful not to break the leaf. Repeat with the other cabbage leaves.

Now you can use a steamer if you have one, or using a steamer tray (picture above), pop it in the large pot that you cooked the cabbage in. Use a little water (I used some of the water I cooked the cabbage leaves in) and pop the lid on. Steam for 20 minutes.

While the cabbage rolls are steaming, steam some rice, make a dipping sauce with sesame oil, sake, soy, garlic and Chinese rice vinegar and chop spring onion and red chilli for garnish.

Serve piping hot and enjoy!