Twice-cooked pork (huiguorou)

Ingredients

• 500 g Pork belly with skin
• 2 tbsp Chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1 tbsp Sweet wheat paste (tianmianjiang)
• 2 bunches Garlic shoots (young garlic stems)
• 20 g Fresh ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Neutral oil (sunflower)

Method

1. Place the pork belly in a pot of cold water with sliced ginger and rice wine. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, then simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes. Cue: a knife blade pierces the meat without resistance, but it remains firm to the touch.
2. Remove the meat and plunge it immediately into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Let cool completely, then cut into thin, even slices.
3. Prepare the aromatics and garnish: finely chop the ginger and garlic, and cut the garlic shoots into segments, separating the white parts from the green parts.
4. Heat a wok over medium heat with no added fat. Sauté the pork belly slices until lightly browned and the fat has rendered, about 3 minutes. Cue: the edges start to crisp and curl, and oil pools at the bottom of the wok.
5. Push the meat up the sides of the wok. Add a drizzle of oil to the center, then sweat the doubanjiang, tianmianjiang, ginger, and garlic for about 1 minute. Cue: the oil turns bright red and releases a powerful, fermented aroma.
6. Toss the meat with the sauce to coat each slice well. Add the light soy sauce and sugar, stirring briskly to caramelize slightly.
7. Add the white parts of the garlic shoots first, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the green parts and cook for 1 more minute. Cue: the garlic shoots are tender but retain a slight crunch.
8. Serve immediately, piping hot, with plain white rice.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

320.9 kcal

Protein

23.88 g

Carbohydrate

5.61 g

Fat

21.86 g

Fibre

0.69 g

Calcium

13.39 mg

Iron

0.78 mg

Magnesium

25.17 mg