My Cooking Journal 2 - Braised Pork Belly with Mei Cai (梅菜扣肉)

I learnt this recipe during my stay in Dubai when I am a home maker. I took down this recipe from a chinese program known as "美女私房菜" by CCTV (China TV Production). My hubby and I have tried out the recipe together and we are pleased with the result (tasty).

Ingredient:

1. Pork Belly (五花肉)
2. Spring onions - 1 whole stalk
3. Pu Er Tea (普洱茶)
4. Mei Cai also known as Dried Salty Mustard Cabbage (梅菜)
5. Star Anise (八角) - 1 or 2 pieces
6. Ginger - crushed
7. Garlic - chopped
8. Dark Soy Sauce - 2 to 3 tbsp
9. Brown Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
10. Chinese rice wine (花雕酒) -1 tbsp

Method:

• Soak dried salted mustard cabbage (梅菜) in water (best washed
  a few times and soak overnight).

• Boil hot water, pour hot water into a pot, then put crushed ginger, spring onion, star anise (八角) and chinese rice wine (花雕酒) into the pot of boiling water. Lastly, put in the pork belly and cook for 30 minutes (cover up the pot). Purpose is to blanch (沸水) the pork.

• Take out the pork and brush the pork with dark soy sauce.

• Put oil in wok, then fry the pork till cripsy - place the skin on bottom (Use big fire and turn slow when cripsy).

• Boil Hot water in pot, then put in the Pu Er Tea (普洱茶) and pork belly. Cook
  for about 10 minutes ( 5 minutes for each side of pork).

• Bring out the pork belly and cut it in slice, then arrange the sliced pork belly in plate (skin on bottom of plate) and set aside for steaming later.
  
  
  

• Drain off water in mei cai (梅菜) and cut it into small pieces.Put mei cai (梅菜) in wok, stir fry a while to dry up water in mei cai (梅菜), then add oil and garlic, stir fry for 5 minutes, add brown sugar and dark soy sauce and continue to stir for another 5 minutes, then add water and stir to boil.

• Remove mei cai (梅菜) from pot, place it on top of the pork belly. Cover the plate with aluminium foil and steam it for 2 hours.

• Ready to serve.

Happy Cooking!