Here is another familiar comfort food from Shanghai. As far as Shanghainese cuisine is concerned, this dish is as relevant as Hong Shao Rou (Red Cooked Pork) or Shanghai Soup Dumplings.
My grandma used to make this dish with a big spoonful of the good stuff–lard. In those days, pork fat was saved and stored like liquid gold.
Nowadays, lard isn’t much of a pantry staple, but if you want to make this dish the traditional way, I promise not to judge! But this Shanghai classic one-pot meal still stands on its own without the pork fat and is definitely a lot healthier with just a bit of vegetable oil.
Shanghai Cai Fan: Recipe Instructions
Soak the Jasmine or plain long grain rice in 1 1/4 cups water in a clay pot for 45 minutes to an hour.
Once soaked, sprinkle on the salted, cured pork and add a tablespoon of pork lard, bacon grease, or oil.
Put the pot over medium heat, uncovered, and bring it to a boil.
While you wait for rice to boil, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok using medium heat.
Add the minced ginger and caramelize a bit. Then add the bok choy, and stir-fry just until wilted. Turn off the heat.
Once the pot is boiling, cover the pot, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and let it simmer for 8 minutes.
Now take off the lid and add the cooked bok choy (don’t pour in any of the cooking liquid from the bok choy) to the top of the rice and cover again.
Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve your Shanghai Cai Fan as a one pot meal!
Shanghai Cai Fan (Rice with Salted Pork and Greens)
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup salted cured pork (diced)
- 1 tablespoon pork lard (you can also substitute bacon grease or oil)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- 1/2 lb baby bok choy (225g, washed and finely chopped)
Instructions
- Soak the rice in 1 1/4 cups water in a clay pot for 45 minutes to an hour. Once soaked, sprinkle on the salted pork and add a tablespoon of grease or oil. Put the pot over medium heat, uncovered, and bring it to a boil.
- While you wait for rice to boil, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok using medium heat. Add the minced ginger and caramelize a bit. Then add the boy choy, and stir-fry just until wilted. Turn off the heat.
- Once the pot is boiling, cover the pot, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and let it simmer for 8 minutes. Now take off the lid and add the cooked bok choy (don't pour in any of the cooking liquid from the bok choy) to the top of the rice and cover again. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve!
