Shanghainese Red-Cooked Hakka Pork

This post comes to us courtesy of cookbook author and television personality Ching He Huang.

 

Shanghainese Red-Cooked Hakka Pork
The pork belly can be cooked the day before and reheated before serving.

 

1 1/2 lb. (650g) pork belly with skin
1 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil
1 Tbs. dark soy sauce

 

For the sauce:
1 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil
1-inch (2.5cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 Tbs. Sichuan peppercorns
2 star anise
1/2 cup (100ml) vegetable stock
4 Tbs. light soy sauce
1 Tbs. Shaohsing rice wine
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch blended with 1 Tbs. cold water

 

Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Steamed jasmine rice for serving

 

Cook the pork belly in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the pork into 3 pieces.

 

Heat a wok over high heat and as it starts to smoke, add the peanut oil. Add the pork pieces and season with the dark soy sauce. Brown the pork on both sides, 1 minute per side. Transfer the pork pieces to a rimmed dish (to help collect the meat juices) that will fit inside a large bamboo steamer.

 

To make the sauce, reheat the wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. Add the ginger and Sichuan peppercorns and stir quickly for a few seconds. Then add the star anise, stock, light soy sauce, rice wine and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the pork. Place the steamer over a large wok filled halfway with water and cover the steamer with the lid. Bring the water to a simmer.

 

Steam the pork in the sauce on medium heat for 1 hour. Check the water during the cooking process and add more water if necessary. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cut into even slices and place on a large serving plate. Transfer the sauce from the steamer to a small wok and set over medium heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir to thicken the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pork and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice. Serves 4.

To find out more about Ching, her great tasting recipes and her books, visit www.chinghehuang.com.

 

To learn more about her US television shows, visit the Cooking Channel.

 

About the author: The face of Chinese cooking on British TV, Ching-He Huang’s dynamic approach to modern Chinese food led to a television presence in Great Britain before coming to America with her popular shows Chinese Food Made Easy and Easy Chinese: San Francisco on the Cooking Channel. Ching is also the author of four cookbooks, the bestselling Ching’s Chinese Food in Minutes, Chinese Food Made Easy and China Modern. Ching’s latest book, Ching’s Fast Food, is published by Harper Collins and is available on her website. http://www.chinghehuang.com