Steamed Beef Rice Rolls (Beef Cheung Fun)

This is one of the top dim sum dishes you order when having Sunday dim sum. A classic dim sum dish featuring soft and smooth, freshly steamed rice rolls with marinated juicy beef sandwiched in between. Served with a sweet soy sauce infused with ginger and green onion. An easy recipe that teaches you to make a comforting and iconic dim sum dish to serve at home.
Yield 6 Servings Prep. Time 20 min Cooking Time 30 min Total Time 50 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

Beef

  • ½ lb (250 g) Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH granulated sugar and oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) EACH chicken bouillon powder, cornstarch and sesame oil
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground white pepper
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • Pinch salt
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda

Rice Roll (Cheung Fun)

  • ⅓ + 1 tsp (80 mL) rice flour
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (40 mL) tapioca starch
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
  • Canola or sunflower oil

Sauce

  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
  • 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece gingerroot, sliced
  • Three 2-inch (5 cm) pieces white ends green onions

Garnish

  • Sliced green onions

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Directions

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Beef: Combine ground beef, sugar, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon, cornstarch, sesame oil, white pepper, green onion, and salt.  Add baking soda and ¼ cup (60 mL) water. Mix thoroughly for 5 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
  2. Rice Roll (Cheung Fun): Whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, 2 cups (500 mL) water and salt in a bowl until well blended and smooth. Set aside.
  3. Sauce: Combine soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and green onions and 1 cup (250 mL) water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, discarding solids. Set sauce aside and let cool.
  4. To cook rice rolls, bring 2 cups (500 mL) of water to a boil in a large steamer or wok (or enough to fill steamer with 1 to 2 inches/2.5 to 5 cm water). Place a shallow trivet on the bottom of steamer and place an 8-inch (20 cm) square nonstick baking pan on trivet. Cover steamer with a tight-fitting lid. Steam for 2 minutes to ensure the pan is hot enough to prevent the rice roll (Cheung Fun) batter from sticking to the bottom.
  5. Brush ½ tsp (2 mL) oil over bottom of pan. Stir the rice roll mixture and carefully pour in ½ cup (125 mL) into the oiled pan. Cover and steam for 1 minute. Remove the lid and spoon 3 heaping tablespoons (45 mL) of the beef mixture, about 2 inches (5 cm) from the left side of the pan in a vertical line on top of the rice roll. Cover and steam for 3 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked (see Tip). Carefully remove pan from steamer and let cool for 1 minute.
  6. Using a scraper or rubber spatula, working from the edge closest to the meat, carefully fold the edge of the rice roll over the meat and continue to roll up the rice roll, to enclose the meat and form a cylindrical shaped roll. Carefully transfer the rolled rice roll onto a serving plate and top with 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of the Sauce and garnish with green onion. Repeat with remaining rice roll batter and beef mixture to make 5 additional rolls. Serve hot as soon as possible.