As usual I was missing dishes I had at home (or anywhere where authentic Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant are found). Especially this nice pork dish with all the lovely fat, skin and tender meat all in one bite. In Chinese sometimes it is called Tong-po ro. Tong-po is the name of a famous poet/calligrapher who loved the dish and might have even came up with it. (ro just means meat for those who are curious.)
When you cook it just right the whole chunk of pork melts in your mouth. I personally love the thick skin bit and the perfect combination of skin, fat and meat. Us Chinese/Taiwanese love it so much there's even a rock that has the shape and colour of this perfect meat on show at the National Palace museum in Taiwan. It's one of the most famous article along with the jade cabbage. You can even get postcards, chopsticks, key chains, ear rings with the little piece of meat on the end at the museum gift shop. Needless to say that is my favorite piece of art in the entire museum. Go figure.
The following is how you make an edible version :D
Braised Pork Belly
Pork belly
3-4 cloves Garlic use whole
*Optional:
- 1 Onion cut into large chunks
- 1 Carrots cut into cubes
- 2 Spring onions cut into 1 inch
- 1 small piece Ginger sliced
Soy sauce (other recipe I saw said half cup, I just free poured. Though be careful don't pour too much or else it will be too salty.)
Sugar (white or brown or whichever) 2 table spoon
Chinese Five spice 1 table spoon, more if you like the flavor to be stronger
Water
**I would highly suggest you cook some rice so you have something to eat the pork belly with. Follow the instruction for rice cooking on the package. If you're lucky or Asian you'll have a rice cooker then you don't have to worry about watching the rice while cooking the pork belly. I'm personally really sh*t at cooking rice on the stove.
How to make yummy pork for your tummy:
1. Cut pork belly into 1/2 inch slices that has both fat and meat.
Don't cut it too small because it will shrink in the cooking process. Make sure there’s no hair on the skin, and then wash it in cold water.
2. Boiled a pot of water, then put the meat in to boil. Skim the yucky blood off that comes to the surface. Drain the meat out soon as it turns whitish (see picture) and keep it on the side ready to use.
(This step along with adding cooking/rice wine helps get rid off the "meat stench". Though I made it without adding cooking/rice wine and personally I can't taste the difference.)
3. Heat oil in a pot. Once oil is hot, add sugar (*ginger slices if you like or if you have some handy) and stir around until the sugar caramelizes aka turns brown. Do not be afraid if it starts smoking at this point. (It should have a nice sweet smell like roast chestnut :D ) Now put the boiled meat in and fry in high heat for about 3 min or until all cubes are covered with the caramelized sugar. This is how you get the nice brown colour on the meat. (If you had rice wine now is the time to add it. Add about a table spoon and keep stirring.)
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4. Now throw in cloves of garlic then pour soy sauce and add water until it covers the meat. Keep the heat on high until water boils. Keep boiling for about 10 minutes.
5. Cover and turn the heat down to low for about an hour to reduce the sauce. Depends on how much time you have, sometimes I leave it for an hour and a half even two hours. Remember to stir every 15 min or so just to make sure the meat doesn't stick to the bottom.
*3o min before it is done you can add the optional onion, carrots, and spring onions. You can even add boiled eggs. If you do make sure you peel off the egg shell and keep turning the eggs so they have a consistent colour throughout. If you want the veggies well cooked/softer then just put them in earlier. Easy peasy.
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Time to Serve
First dish up a bowl of rice, or on a plate if you're a NAsian = NonAsian. Then take a big ladle and scoop out some meat + whatever else you put in it and some sauce and pour it on top of the rice.
Now dig in, chopsticks, forks or spoons!!
p.s. I know it took a long time but I'm definitely sure it is worth it. If not then please send it to me I will eat it all.
