Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) pork belly fat, 100 g (about 1/2 cup) glutinous rice, 75 g (about 1/2 cup) red dates, 50 g (about 1/4 cup) sweet red bean paste.
Seasonings
20 g white sugar, 15 g brown sugar, 10 g lard, and 10 g water starch.
Instructions
1. Char the red dates lightly over charcoal fire until the skin is slightly scorched, then soak in clean water for 20 minutes. Remove the skin and pits, and roll each date around a portion of sweet bean paste. Boil the pork belly fat until cooked through, remove and let cool, then slice into pieces about 7 cm long, 2 cm wide, and 0.3 cm thick. Wrap each slice around one date roll to form a cylinder, and stand them upright in a steaming bowl.
2. After washing and soaking the glutinous rice, steam it until fully cooked, then remove and mix with brown sugar and lard. Place this mixture into a steaming bowl over the meat rolls as a base, then steam for about half an hour until tender.
3. In a wok, combine a small amount of sugar and water, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry to create a clear glaze. Remove the steamed pork belly from the steamer, invert it onto a round plate, and pour the glaze over the top. This dish is beautifully presented, with a sweet, rich flavor and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.