Steamed Cucumbers with Pork and Ginger
My friend Mrs. Wakabayashi learned to make a version of this dish from a Chinese chef in New York City in the mid-'70s. I devoured it then, and whenever I see this dish on Cantonese menus I always order it. Finally, I decided to create a recipe for it myself and I think you will love its textural surprise. Just looking at a cucumber makes you think "crispy," "crunchy," not soft and yielding. You will think "vegetal" and instead get sweet. The pork filling is typical of Cantonese cookery, but I like to serve this with bowls of Chinese vinegar, chile oil and soy sauce on the table for guests to make their own dipping sauces. In many restaurants you will see small sections of cucumber hollowed out and topped with a stuffing mixture. I like this dish better when larger pieces are stuffed and it's sliced into smaller pieces after cooking. GET THE RECIPE >
