Braised Pork with Tofu Skin Knots
This Chinese recipe for 千张结烧肉 (Braised Pork with Tofu Skin Knots) features red-braised pork, knotted dried tofu sheets (千张), ginger, star anise, and bay leaves.
Ingredients
braised pork belly
about 2 jin (≈1 kg)
tofu skin (qian zhang)
3 sheets
ginger
4-6 slices
star anise
1-2 pieces
bay leaf
1 leaf
dried hawthorn slices
5 pieces
Instructions
1
Step 1
Cut the pork belly into chunks, place in a pot, and dry-fry over medium heat to render out the fat.
2
Step 2
Once the surface of the meat begins to lightly brown, sprinkle in the ginger shreds.
3
Step 3
Continue dry-frying, then add the star anise. If the pork belly hasn't rendered enough oil on its own, you can add some vegetable oil.
4
Step 4
Then add the rock sugar and stir-fry until all the rock sugar has melted.
5
Step 5
Next, add the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
6
Step 6
Pour in enough water to fill most of the pot; the water level should completely cover all the meat.
7
Step 7
Add the pre-tied tofu skin knots (or you can buy them ready-made).
8
Step 8
Then add the dried hawthorn slices and bay leaves.
9
Step 9
Cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat up to high to bring to a boil.
10
Step 10
Once it comes to a boil, reduce to the lowest heat and continue to simmer with the lid on. When the water level drops to about half the pot, remove the lid and turn the heat up to high to quickly reduce the sauce.
11
Step 11
The low-heat simmering should take at least 45 minutes so the meat becomes tender and flavorful.
