Taiwanese Savory Rice Pudding
A comforting and traditional Taiwanese dish, Mí-báⁿ (or Wa Gui) is a steamed pudding made from rice flour, often filled with savory ingredients like braised pork, dried shrimp, and mushrooms. It's typically served with a sweet and savory soy sauce.
🧂 Ingredients
- 300 g Long-grain Indica rice flour (在來米粉)
- 60 g Tapioca starch
- 1260 ml Water
- 300 g Pork belly(fatty, cut into small pieces)
- 6 pieces Dried shiitake mushrooms(rehydrated and finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Dried shrimp(rinsed)
- 225 g Shallots(thinly sliced)
- 6 pieces Salted duck egg yolks(optional, cut in half)
- 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Cooking oil
- 2 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 0.25 tsp White pepper
- Sauce for topping(see instructions)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the filling: Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove shallots and set aside. In the same wok, add the pork belly and cook until browned. Add chopped mushrooms and dried shrimp, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, minced garlic, and white pepper. Stir well and cook for another minute. Set aside.
- 2
Make the rice paste: In a large bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, and water until smooth. Ensure there are no lumps.
- 3
Cook the rice paste: Pour the rice flour mixture into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a translucent paste. Be careful not to scorch the bottom.
- 4
Combine filling and paste: Pour the thickened rice paste into the wok with the filling ingredients. Stir well to combine everything.
- 5
Steam the rice pudding: Grease 4 individual steaming bowls or ramekins. Spoon the filling mixture into the bowls, filling them about 3/4 full. If using, place a salted duck egg yolk half on top of each.
- 6
Steam: Place the bowls in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 30-35 minutes, or until the pudding is firm and cooked through.
- 7
Prepare the topping sauce: In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, a little sugar, and a splash of water. Some recipes also include minced garlic and chili oil.
💡 Tip: Adjust the sauce to your preference for sweetness and saltiness. - 8
Serve: Let the rice puddings cool slightly before inverting them onto serving plates. Drizzle with the topping sauce and sprinkle with crispy fried shallots.
💡 Tip: Can be served warm or at room temperature.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a smoother texture, you can strain the rice flour mixture before cooking.
- ✓Ensure the steamer is hot before placing the bowls inside to prevent the pudding from becoming watery.
- ✓If you don't have salted duck egg yolks, you can omit them or use regular hard-boiled egg yolks.
🔄 Variations
- Add other ingredients to the filling, such as diced pork, dried scallops, or Chinese sausage.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the pork and use more mushrooms and tofu.