Hui Guo Rou (Szechuan twice cooked pork)
Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 1:20 amA traditional spicy Szechuan dish. After some research, I think that this is quite close to the original. The meat is cooked twice; first simmered and then stir-fried. The two bean pastes can be found in any Chinese supermarket and are essential to the dish. The remaining stock makes an excellent base for a soup.
4 servings
Ingredients
800 g fresh pork belly, in one piece
1 tsp salt
1 star aniseed
50 g fresh ginger; half grated, half sliced
1 large leek, white part only, in thick slices
1 red bell pepper, in large chunks
1 green bell pepper, in large chunks
2 tbsp sweet fermented bean paste
2 tbsp hot fermented bean & chili paste (or Korean Kochujang)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
100 ml rice wine (or dry white wine)
1 tbsp sesame oil
Salt, pepper
Vegetable oil (preferably peanut oil)
Method
In a pot, cover the meat with water and add salt, star aniseed and the sliced ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the meat is tender. Pick up the meat and let it cool. Save the stock.
When the meat has cooled, remove the rind and cut in thin bite-sized slices. Pat them dry. In a bowl, mix bean pastes, sugar, soy sauce, wine, sesame oil and 200 ml of the strained stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or wok and stir-fry the pepper on maximum heat until it gets browned but still crisp.
Add leek to the peppers and stir-fry for one minute more. Remove and set aside.
In two batches, stir-fry the meat until well browned. Set aside. Pour off excess fat so that only about 1 tbsp remains in the pan.
Add the grated ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add the sauce, bring to a boil and reduce by half.
Add the meat and vegetables. Turn and reheat quickly. Don't let it boil since it will make the vegetables mushy.
Serve immediately with rice.
4 servings
Ingredients
800 g fresh pork belly, in one piece
1 tsp salt
1 star aniseed
50 g fresh ginger; half grated, half sliced
1 large leek, white part only, in thick slices
1 red bell pepper, in large chunks
1 green bell pepper, in large chunks
2 tbsp sweet fermented bean paste
2 tbsp hot fermented bean & chili paste (or Korean Kochujang)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
100 ml rice wine (or dry white wine)
1 tbsp sesame oil
Salt, pepper
Vegetable oil (preferably peanut oil)
Method
In a pot, cover the meat with water and add salt, star aniseed and the sliced ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the meat is tender. Pick up the meat and let it cool. Save the stock.
When the meat has cooled, remove the rind and cut in thin bite-sized slices. Pat them dry. In a bowl, mix bean pastes, sugar, soy sauce, wine, sesame oil and 200 ml of the strained stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or wok and stir-fry the pepper on maximum heat until it gets browned but still crisp.
Add leek to the peppers and stir-fry for one minute more. Remove and set aside.
In two batches, stir-fry the meat until well browned. Set aside. Pour off excess fat so that only about 1 tbsp remains in the pan.
Add the grated ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add the sauce, bring to a boil and reduce by half.
Add the meat and vegetables. Turn and reheat quickly. Don't let it boil since it will make the vegetables mushy.
Serve immediately with rice.