PORK BELLY:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh pork belly, with skin
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaohsing grain wine
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 -inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon corn starch combined with two tablespoons water (corn starch slurry)
- 1 cup salted peanuts, ground or chopped
- 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
- 10 to12 Chinese bao buns or small plain hamburger buns
- Quick Cucumber and Shallot Pickle, recipe follows
- 2 scallions, reduce 2-inch pieces, then julienned
- 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
QUICK CUCUMBER AND SHALLOT PICKLE:
Directions
For that pork belly: Bring a Nederlander oven or heavy-bottomed pot water to some boil. Add some pork belly and simmer for half an hour. Remove in the pot, rinse under cold water after which dry with a few sponges. Slice the pork into 3 even pieces and hang aside.
Heat a wok over high temperature and add some peanut oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, add some pork pieces and stir-fry for around one minute per side to brown. Once the pork is browned, add some dark soy and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to some plate which will fit in the large bamboo steamer with a minimum of single-inch margin between your plate and also the steamer.
For that sauce: In a tiny bowl or calculating cup, stir to mix the vegetable stock, light soy sauce. brown sugar and grain wine put aside. Reheat the wok and add some peanut oil. Once the oil is hot, add some ginger root. Sichuan peppercorns and star anise after which stir-fry for any couple of seconds. Include the sauce and produce to some boil. Remove in the heat and pour the sauce within the pork.
Put the plate of pork right into a steamer on the wok or pot filled midway with water and produce to some boil. Steam the pork over medium heat before the pork is tender, one hour to at least one 1/2 hrs. Look into the pot from time to time to make sure that water has not completely evaporated.
Take away the pork in the steamer and transfer all the juices in the pork right into a small wok or pan. Provide a boil over medium-high temperature and stir within the corn starch slurry. Prepare for one to two minutes to thicken the sauce.
Inside a mortar and pestle. crush the peanuts, or finely chop all of them with your knife. Combine the peanuts and brown sugar put aside until prepared to serve.
Slice the pork belly. Fill each bao bun having a slice of pork along with a couple of tablespoons the thickened pork sauce, garnish using the sweetened peanut crumble, Quick Cucumber and Shallot Pickle. scallions and fresh cilantro.
Place the cucumbers and shallots inside a medium bowl.
In a tiny saucepan. add some mirin, grain vinegar and sugar. Provide a simmer over medium heat and stir before the sugar dissolves. Remove in the heat and let awesome. Pour the vinegar mixture within the vegetables and let marinate for fifteen minutes or longer before serving.
