A Sichuan dish of spicy seared pork belly, this classic recipe is famous, extremely popular, and too delicious not to share. As usual, there are many variations, but some things are common to all, such as boiling the pork BEFORE slicing it.
Twice Cooked Pork (1)
1 lb. pork belly
8 ozs. cabbage
2 ozs. garlic shoots (蒜苗) or spring onions
1 red chili thinly sliced diagonally (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (紹興料酒)
1 tablespoon Sichuan hot bean paste (辣豆瓣醬)
2 tablespoons sweet wheaten sauce (甜麵醬) (or Hoisin sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
Put the strips of pork belly in a wok or a pot and completely cover the meat with water. Bring the water to a boil and immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook the meat for about 45 minutes. Skim the scum that forms on the top regularly as the meat is being cooked. Drain the pork and let cool. Cut the pork into very thin slices of about 1/8 inch thick and set aside.
Cut the cabbage into pieces of about one-inch squares. Cut the garlic shoots into one and a half inch long pieces. Mix Shaoxing cooking wine, Sichuan hot bean paste, Hoisin sauce and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
When you’re ready to stir-fry, heat the vegetable oil in a wok until just beginning to smoke. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Be sure to keep stirring so as not to burn the cabbage. Remove the cabbage from the wok and set aside in a bowl. Put the sauce mixture into the wok and stir-fry for about 30 second or until fragrant. Add both the pork and cabbage into the sauce and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes or so. Then add the garlic shoots and stir-fry for additional 30 seconds. Turn the heat off and add the red chili if using. Plate and serve immediately.
Twice Cooked Pork (2)
From: https://thewoksoflife.com/twice-cooked-pork/
Ingredients
1 pound pork belly (450g, you have to use pork belly, nothing else will do)
2 slices ginger
2 tablespoons oil (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoons spicy broad bean paste
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
2 long hot green peppers (seeds removed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces)
1 medium leek (split lengthwise, washed thoroughly, and cut in 2-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Directions
In a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the whole piece of pork belly and the ginger, and bring the pot to a boil again. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes,until the pork is tender and cooked through. Remove the pork from the pot and run it under cold running water for about a minute. Set aside.
While the pork is cooling, prepare all the other ingredients. Once you are ready to cook (don’t do this in advance, or the pork will dry out), thinly slice the pork belly (slices should be about 1/8 inch thick).
Heat your wok over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the pork, until you get a light caramelization, about 90 seconds. Turn the heat to mediumlow and scoop out the pork. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok.
Add the spicy broad bean paste to the wok and let it fry in the oil for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavor and color. The color should be red; pay attention to the heat to avoid burning.
Now add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Turn the heat to high and add the pork,
peppers, and leeks. Stir-fry for a minute. Add the shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar.
Stir everything together. Once the leeks are wilted and the peppers are cooked (while still having a little crunch), it’s ready to serve.
Twice Cooked Pork (3)
(from my student and friend Wu Jianglei, an ex-chef, as cooked in my apartment)
Pork belly (about a pound Yi jin)
3 tbsp Sichuan hot bean paste (辣豆瓣醬)
1 tbsp yellow-bean paste
salt, sugar, chicken powder
Garlic
Ginger
Leek
Carrot
Red and green pepper
Garlic shoots
Wood-ear fungus
Coriander leaves
Boil the pork gently for about 20 minutes, skimming, then allow to cool in the (clear) liquid before taking out the meat and slicing it thinly.
The liquid can be stored and used for other dishes.
Heat oil, then add a few Sichuan peppercorns and a star anise. Fry for a minute or two then remove the spices.
Add the pastes, stir-fry, then add the meat slices. Stir-fry, adding the salt, sugar, and chicken powder. Then add the vegetables with garlic and ginger and stir-fry another minute or so.
Add the coriander and stir before serving.
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