Lamb Steamed in Rice Powder



INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 lb Piece of boneless lamb

2 ts Dark soy sauce

1 tb Light soy sauce

salt 

1/2 ts sugar 

5 sl ginger

1 tb ginger juice (see note)

4 Garlic cloves, crushed

2 Scallions, cut in half and smashed

2 sm Dried hot peppers, ground

1 c  Uncooked long-grain rice

2 Star anise

Fresh banana leaves (opt, see note)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the meat into "butterfly" slices by making one slice
not quite all the way through and the second slice all the
way through.  Pound the meat lightly.
  
2. Toss the meat with the soy sauces, salt, sugar, ginger,
ginger juice, garlic, scallions and hot peppers; marinate
for 30 minutes.
  
3. Meanwhile, make the rice powder by putting the rice and
star anise into a dry skillet and cook while stirring until
the rice is brown. (It should be thoroughly browned but not
scorched.) Spoon the rice and anise into a blender++a food
processor won't work++ and blend until it's the consistency
of fine sand.  (Don't blend it too finely.)
  
4. Line two steamer sections with banana leaves cut to fit.
Put half the rice powder into a bowl, reserving the rest in
a jar for future use, and dredge the lamb pieces in the
powder, coating them generously.
  
5. Arrange them on the banana leaves and steam them for 25
minutes.  At the end of 15 minutes, sprinkle them with a
little water.  Serve in the steamer.
  
NOTES:  ginger juice is made by covering fresh crushed
ginger with boiling water and letting it stand for 15
minutes or so.
  
If you can't get banana leaves, the lamb may be steamed on
a plate.



Lamb Steamed in Rice Powder