Pork dumpling and salt-fish hotpot

Method

1. Put the ginger, bamboo shoots and 2 spring onions, roughly chopped, into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Add the prawns, 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and rice wine, 1 level tablespoon of cornflour, salt and some pepper and blast again until roughly minced, then tip this over the pork mince and mix well. Form into rough walnut-sized balls, cover and chill until firm.

2. Mix the remaining cornflour with 3 tablespoons of water. Cut the aubergine into fat batons, then shallow fry in vegetable oil until golden on all sides, then drain on kitchen roll.

3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan, then fry the garlic without browning. Stir in the white parts of the spring onions, the remaining rice wine and soy sauce, the vinegar and oyster sauce, 350ml water and the cornflour mixture, and allow to bubble for a minute while stirring.

4. Arrange the dumplings, aubergine, and sauce in a small casserole or Chinese sandpot, crumbling in the preserved fish as you go. Bring to the boil on the hob, then cover, and cook on a low heat (or in the oven at 90C/gas 1/4) for 45 minutes.

5. Serve sprinkled with shredded spring onion tops, coriander and shredded fresh root ginger for an extra kick.