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Close up of Steamed Lemongrass Pork With Shrimp Paste with a wooden spoon in it.
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5 from 7 votes

Steamed Lemongrass Pork With Shrimp Paste

This melt-in-your-mouth Steamed Lemongrass Pork With Shrimp Paste is perfect for every meal. Steamed to perfection, the lemongrass and shrimp paste add an extra dimension!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Servings: 6
Calories: 699kcal
Author: Jeannette

Equipment

  • Steamer

Ingredients

  • 750 g / 1.65 lb pork belly
  • 5 stalks lemongrass (finely chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 4 tsp fine shrimp sauce (or to taste; we get it from the local Asian supermarket)
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 chili (optional; finely chopped)

Instructions

  • Use a sharp knife to remove the outer skin of the pork belly. Make a slit between the meat and the skin, grab a hold of the skin and run the knife between the two parts, pulling the skin toward you as you separate the flesh from skin.
  • If your pork belly comes with bone, remove it by slicing across from just under the bone. Hold the pork still with one hand (bone side up), turn the blade to the side and cut from right to left until the bone is detached.
  • Set up the steamer.
  • Meanwhile, cut the meat into 1 cm x 1/2 cm x 2 cm (1/2" x 1/4" x 1") chunks.
  • Put the meat, lemongrass, chili, shrimp paste, sugar and chicken bouillon powder onto a steam-safe dish. 
  • Mix all the contents well.
  • When the water is boiling on a high heat, put the dish into the steamer for 1 hour, then serve hot with rice!

Notes

  • Use thin metal dishes. They're steam-safe and help to cook the meat mush faster.
  • Marinate for longer. This will help the flavors infuse deeper into the ingredients.
  • Try to get both fat and meat layers in each piece. Doing so will ensure that there's a different texture from each part.
  • We get shrimp paste from Asian supermarkets. Keep in mind that different brands will have varying levels of saltiness, so adjust all the seasoning to taste.
  • You can use fresh lemongrass and finely chop it by hand or use a food processor. Alternatively, Asian grocery stores often stock frozen pre-chopped lemongrass which will work well in this recipe too.

Nutrition

Calories: 699kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 354mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg