Honey-Glazed Ham Cubes
Prepared from the prime center cut of Jinhua ham, steamed and finished with a honey glaze for an appealing color.
Ingredients
smoked ham with skin (scrape the fine hairs and dirt off the skin, cut into 12 small cubes without cutting through the skin)
400 g
hollowed white lotus seeds (soaked in 50°C hot water, then steamed until soft)
50 g
candied cherries
5
preserved green plum
1
Shaoxing wine (used in two parts)
75 g
osmanthus sugar
2 g
dry starch
15 g
rock sugar
150 g
Instructions
1
Steam the lotus seeds
Soak the hollowed white lotus seeds in 50°C hot water, place them in a bowl, set in a steamer, and steam over high heat until soft. Set aside.
2
Steam the ham
Use a knife to scrape off any fine hairs and dirt from the ham skin, then wash. Place the ham meat-side up on a cutting board and cut into 12 small cubes without cutting through the skin. Place the ham in a bowl, cover with water, add 25 g Shaoxing wine and 25 g rock sugar, and steam over high heat for 1 hour. When the ham is about 80% cooked, drain off the liquid, then add another 25 g Shaoxing wine, 75 g rock sugar, enough water to cover, and the steamed lotus seeds. Return to the steamer and steam over high heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Pour the original liquid into a bowl and set aside.
3
Plate the dish
Invert the ham cubes onto a tall-footed soup plate, arrange the lotus seeds around them, and garnish with the candied cherries and preserved green plum.
4
Make the sauce
Place a wok over high heat, add water and 25 g rock sugar, pour in the reserved original liquid, and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam. Mix the dry starch with 25 g water to make a thin slurry, drizzle it over the ham and lotus seeds, sprinkle with the osmanthus sugar, and serve.
