Cabbage Rolls Steamer

• Sui Choy – 8 large leaves, washed and thick root and thick root end trimmed
• Cold Cooked Rice – 1 Cup
• Raw Shrimp – 5 oz (150 g) med. size, shelled
• Green Onions, trimmed and thinly sliced – 2
• Celery, minced – 1 med. stalk
• Ginger, grated – 1/2 tsp
• Sesame Oil – 1 tsp
• s + p – to taste
• Roasted Sesame Seeds – for garnish

• Rice Vinegar – 1 Tble
• Mirin – 1 Tble
• Fresh Lemon Juice – 1 Tble
• Soya Sauce – 1 Tble

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the sui choy leaves to the water and cook for 2 minutes. Gently remove from the water and lay flat on a clean, absorbent dishtowel to cool and dry.
2. In a bowl, combine the rice, shrimp, green onions, celery, ginger, sesame oil and s+p. For the ponzu sauce, combine the last 4 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Brush a steamer basket (metal or wood) with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.
3. Use a paper towel to blot any remaining water from the cabbage leaves. With a leaf flat on the counter with the root end towards you, place a handful of the rice/shrimp mixture into the middle of the leaf. Gently roll the filling in the leaf, as you would roll an eggroll, pulling the sides of the leaf over the filling to cover.
4. Arrange the cabbage rolls in a single layer in the steamer basket, and add about 1/2″ water in the pot below. Cover the steamer with a lid, and bring the water to a boil over med. high heat. Steam for 10-12 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the rest of the filling is hot.
5. Serve with the ponzu, as well as a little sweet chili sauce if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Notes:

• If you have time to make the sweet chili sauce (or if you have a bottle in the fridge), I think you’ll agree that the mixture of that with the ponzu takes this dish from really good to spectacular.
• I had some blanched greens (nettle & dandelion) in the fridge that I chopped finely and mixed it with the rice — kale or chard would also be good — if you’d like to incorporate some extra greens.
• I made half of these with brown basmati rice and half with Japanese sticky rice.  There was no appreciable difference in taste, so from now on I’ll go with the brown for some extra goodness.
• If you aren’t a shrimp fan, may I suggest substituting it with some ground pork?