During gatherings for New Year,
holidays, or special occasions, we always have various challenging dishes to
support the scene. This braised pork with preserved or plum vegetables (Mei Cai
Kou Rou / 梅菜扣肉）is one
of them.
Many people choose to eat this dish
outside, perhaps because they think the restaurant's version tastes better or
maybe because they think the recipe takes a lot of time. Yes, it is made from scratch, it’s taken a
long time to make it. The toughest part is to deep fry the pork and to clean the
preserved veggies. And the rest of the
process is to put all the ingredients into the bowl and steam it. It’s easy
once you figure it out. It's not difficult at all.
Cleaning the preserved veggies is the
most difficult aspect of this dish—it's crucial to give them a thorough
cleaning. And the preserved veggies are a unique for this Chinese pork belly. The
flavor added by this preserved mustard greens is unique and appetizing.
I am using two types of preserved
vegetables in this recipe. Salty and sweet. Usually the darker ones are sweet,
while the lighter ones are salty. You must first soak them like for five or six
hours, especially the salty type. Second, you must wash them like six to seven
times or until the water is very clean.
To prevent the pig skin from touching
the wok's bottom and scorching while frying, I inserted a few toothpicks into
the pork belly skin. Additionally, the
skin can be evenly fried.
Traditionally, this braised pork is
steam-cooked on the stove for two hours over high heat. But I steam cook my
braised pork in a pressure cooker. It will help you save time and effort. You
can also enjoy the finished product in 60 minutes rather than 2 hours.
Even though it takes a bit more time
and work, making this braised port belly with preserved vegetables is not
difficult. Sometimes I even think to myself, "Wow, I can make this
challenging dish" It is amazing! I will pat myself on the back. And you
should pat yourself on the back as well.
INGREDIENTS
1.4 kg Por Belly
300g Salted preserved vegetable s
400g sweet Preserved vegetables
Some cooking oil (for frying)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (spread on the
pork)
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp shallot
15pcs rock sugar or more
For blanching
1 stalk spring onion
1 inch length of ginger, sliced
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Seasoning (For preserved vegetables)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Seasoning (For Pork Belly)
½ tsp white pepper
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp corn flour
5 tbsp water
METHOD
1. Put the pork belly in a wok with
water without turning on the flame. Add the ginger slices, spring onion and Shaoxing wine. Turn
on flame and bring to a boil. Blanch the pork for about 12 minutes or until you
can pierce the skin of the pork. Take the pork out and set aside.
2. Using a meat tenderizer or a fork,
pierce the skin of the pork with as many holes as you can. Using paper towels,
dap the oil that emerged from the hole.
3. Spread dark soy sauce on the skin
and the side, and let it dry for later use.
4. Inserted a few toothpicks into the
pork belly skin as a stand.
5. Without turning on the heat, add
some cooking oil to the wok. The oil is barely enough to cover the meat's skin
side down. To prevent the oil from splashing out, turn on the heat and cover it
with a lid. Turn the meat over and continue cooking the other side until it
goes golden brown, and the skin turns brown-red and bubbles.
6. After removing the meat, soak it
for at least an hour in a pot of ice-cold water with the skin side down. Remove
it from the ice water and refrigerate it overnight. When the meat is cold,
slicing will be easier.
7. Prepare preserved vegetables. Soak for 5-6 hours. Then wash them with water 6-7 times to get rid of all sand and dirt. Drain and set aside. Cut it into small pieces.
8. Heat up the wok without oil, pour
in the preserved vegetables, stir fry to dry up the water in it. Remove for
later use.
9. Heat up the work with 2
tablespoons of cooking oil, add in the minced garlic, ginger, shallots, and
rock sugars. Stir fry until the sugar melts and the garlic mixture turns golden
brown. Add back the preserved vegetables, quick stir until all the ingredients
are well combined. Add in the preserved vegetables seasoning, mix it well. And
the corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust. Remove it for
later use.
10. Combine the pork seasoning in a
bowl, mix it up. Slice up the cold meat into pieces about 1.5cm thick.
Carefully spread the pork seasoning mixture all over the pork slices. Make sure
all slices are cover with the seasoning
11. Arrange them neatly at the bottom
of two shallow heat-proof bowls with skin side down. Cover the preserved vegetables mixture over
the pork belly in the bowl and spread evenly to cover all the pork belly.
12. Bring the pressure cooker with a
steamer rack and cover with enough water to boil over high heat, put in the
pork, cover the pressure valve when steam begins to emerge, let it steam cook
for 60 minutes at high heat. Wait until the steam completely released from the pot,
remove the pork from the pressure cooker.
13. Remove the bowl from the steamer
or pressure cooker and carefully pour the excess liquid into a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and add
the cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
14. Cover the bowl of pork with your
serving plate and flip it over onto the plate. Pour the sauce over the dish and
serve. This dish is glorious with a bowl of white rice!
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