Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Cantonese Steamed Pork Liver with Ginger and Scallion
薑蔥蒸豬膶
Recipe overview
Thin pork-liver slices are marinated with ginger and spring onion, then steamed until tender with no bloody juices.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g pork liver
- 25 g ginger
- 3 spring onions
Marinade
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
02
Tools
- large bowl
- colander
- raw-meat cutting board
- vegetable cutting board
- knife
- kitchen paper
- measuring spoons
- heatproof plate
- covered steamer wok
- food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Rinse liver
First rinse 400 g liver in a large bowl for 1 minute; after draining in a colander no blood clots should remain.
Step 2
Slice evenly
Next cut 400 g liver into 4 mm slices with a knife on the raw-meat board; immediately wash and disinfect the board and knife, leaving even slices free of tough membrane after about 4 minutes.
Step 3
Soak out blood
Soak liver in clean water in the bowl for 5 minutes, then rinse in the colander for 30 seconds until draining water turns pale.
Step 4
Dry thoroughly
Press 400 g liver with kitchen paper for 2 minutes until no droplets remain before marinating.
Step 5
Cut aromatics
On a clean vegetable board, shred 25 g ginger and cut 3 spring onions into 4 cm lengths with the cleaned knife; keep separate after 2 minutes.
Step 6
Mix marinade
In the bowl mix liver with 1 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp wine, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp pepper and 2 tsp cornstarch for 1 minute until coated.
Step 7
Marinate liver
Add half the ginger and 1 tbsp oil in the bowl, mix 30 seconds and marinate 8 minutes; slices should remain separate without water.
Step 8
Spread on plate
Spread 400 g liver in one layer on the heatproof plate with remaining ginger; after 1 minute no thick overlap should remain.
Step 9
Preheat steamer
Add enough water to the steamer wok, cover and boil on high for 4 minutes until strong steam appears before loading the plate.
Step 10
Steam on high
Put the liver plate in the steamer, cover and steam on high for 7 minutes without opening; slices should turn grey-brown.
Step 11
Check centre
Use the thermometer on the thickest slice; remove at 75°C with no bloody juice, otherwise cover and steam 1 minute more.
Step 12
Add onion and sesame
Remove the plate, add 3 spring onions and 1 tsp sesame oil, toss 30 seconds and rest 1 minute; onions should wilt and liver be cooked.
Common mistakes
- Uneven slices cook at different rates.
- Wet liver dilutes the marinade.
- A thick overlap can remain raw.
- Colour alone can miss bloody juices.
Tips
Cut liver to 4 mm, dry and spread in one layer; confirm both 75°C and no bloody juices.
