Rinse and drain 1 cup rice (here, long grain rice), then set aside. In the mean time, soak 2 Tbsp dried shrimp in ½ cup warm water until reconstituted (about 10 mins), then drain and mince. Add 2/3 lb minced pork to the minced shrimp, mixing well, then fold in 1 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp corn starch, and ½ cup water. Using a large Dutch oven (see Note 1 below), heat 10 cups water (I use 5 cups low sodium chicken broth, 5 cups water), bring to a boil, then add the rice. Using a teaspoon, scoop the pork mixture into balls, dropping one at a time into the boiling soup until the mixture is gone. Lower the soup’s heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until pork dumplings are fully cooked (about 35-40 mins). While the soup is simmering, parboil 1 head of bok choy (leaves separated and then each leaf split lengthwise) in lightly salted water, then drain. Once soup has finished cooking, add the bok choy, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve immediately. This recipe is from Chinese Light Meals & Snacks by Sumi Hatano. (Dec. 2014)
Note 1: We recommend using a high-walled Dutch oven. The rice and pork dumpling, when covered on simmer, can overflow in a medium pot (we learned this the hard way). (May 2020)
Note 2: You can use most type of Chinese greens. We often use a bunch of Chinese broccoli, cut in half lengthwise. Put the lower half (thick stems) in salted boiling water a few minutes ahead of the top half (thin stems and tender leaves). If necessary, strain out the thin stems and leaves and let the thick stems continue to cook until crisp-tender. In lieu of Chinese greens, you also can toss in a few handfuls (3 oz) of fresh spinach just before serving. (May 2020)
Cooking Adventures 