My husband and I debated whether I could feature Macau, as it is a special administrative region of China, not its own country. But it has a flag, a unique history, and some pretty delicious food. More so, I wrote the rules of OWW, so seems I can break them. Minchi, or minchee, is a Macanese staple dish, with marked variations found throughout the tiny territory. For example, some recipes said garlic was a must, where others said never to use garlic. The pickles were only referenced in one article I found, but to me, they made the dish shine. Macau was Europe’s first and last colonial outpost in Asia; it was leased to Portugal in 1557, and the Portuguese remained in control of the land until 1999. Much of the cuisine showcases the merger of East and West, and minchi is no exception. Its flavors are reminiscent of Asian style ribs, and the preparation similar to corned beef hash, making it novel tasting, yet oddly familiar. A perfect dish to tuck into on a cold evening or the morning after a long night!
Minchi (or Minchee)
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes [NOTE 1]
1 tablespoon kosher salt [NOTE 1]
1/4 teaspoon baking soda [NOTE 1]
1 lb ground pork
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine), mirin, or sweet white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper or season salt, to taste (to sprinkle on potatoes)
1 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
2 small shallots or 1 large one, peeled and chopped
2 dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 eggs, prepared sunny-side up, with yolks still runny [NOTE 2]
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
Preheat oven to 425°.
Bring 1 quart of water, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and baking soda to a boil in a medium saucepan with a lid. Put over high heat, uncovered.
While water is coming to a boiling, add all of the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon of the of the soy sauce or tamari to a large bowl. Mix in the ground pork and let marinate for ~10 minutes. (You do not want to add all of the liquids now, as this will prevent the meat from getting a nice crust on it when you sauté it.)
When water in the pot comes to a boil, drop in the potatoes. As soon as the water returns to a boil, set a timer for 5 minutes.
Heat the canola or neutral oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. When it glistens, add the shallots and bay leaves and lower the heat to medium-low. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until shallots are translucent and soft.
When the potato timer reaches 5 minutes, drain potatoes throughly and return them back to the empty pot. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, along with some generous sprinkles of salt and pepper or season salt. Using a pot holder, put lid on pan and turn lidded pot upside-down over the sink. Give the covered pot a few hard shakes. The goal is to both spread the oil and seasoning on the potatoes and to rough up the potatoes' edges, as this leads to a crispy potato. Remove the pot lid so the steam can come off while you prep the baking sheet. Splash the second tablespoon of the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet (darker sheets work better than light). Use a paper towel to spread evenly from rim to rim. Spread the potatoes evenly on the prepared baking sheet, aiming to have them not touch one another. Place in oven, and set timer for 12 minutes. When timer rings, flip potatoes with a thin metal spatula and return to oven until 1-2 sides are browned and potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, about 5-7 more minutes.
When shallots are are translucent and soft, remove to a small dish and set aside, leaving as much oil as remains in the pan. Add the marinated pork to the pan and turn heat to medium to high. Chop meat a few times with cooking spoon, then spread in a thin layer.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger, 1 tablespoon of the cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon of the of the soy sauce or tamari, along with the 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, scallions, and black pepper.
When meat starts to get areas of brown crust, mix in the cooked potatoes and the soy sauce mixture. Toss together. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired.
Divide rice into 4 bowls. Top with meat mixture and a sunny-side up egg. Even better, add in some Asian pickles and/or Asian hot sauce.
NOTE 1: To simplify the recipe, you can replace roasted potatoes by cooking frozen wedge-cut french fries per package directions and cutting into thirds halfway through the cooking time.
NOTE 2: To cook perfect sunny-side up eggs, lightly oil a 10-inch nonstick pan. Add all 4 eggs to the cold pan. Place over medium low heat. If you like your yolks firmer, you can cover while cooking. Otherwise, just cook low and slow until whites are thoroughly cooked.
Asian Pickles
1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 whole star anise
2 whole cardamom pods (optional)
2 Persian cucumbers
1 long hot pepper, or hot pepper of your choice
Fill a small saucepan with one cup of water, vinegar, salt, star anise, and cardamom. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Set aside.
Slice cucumbers and pepper thinly. Place in a bowl. Pour slightly cooled vinegar mixture over top, including star anise and cardamom pods. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
FUN FACTS:
Macau is home to the world’s highest commercial bungee jump. The 764-foot jump is hosted at the Macau Tower, where there is also an exposed walkway on the outside rim of the building for those who don't want to take the plunge. Walkers get harnessed in to stroll.
As of 2020, the Chinese territory of Macau has the world’s highest population density, with 62,182 people per square mile.
Per above, Macau was both the first and the last Far East Asian colony under European rule. The Portuguese pulled out December 20, 1999.
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