Cantonese Braised Taro with Pork Belly

Name: Cantonese Braised Taro with Pork Belly
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 5000 g pork belly (can be prepared using the raw-frying / hard-shell method, the cooked-frying / wrinkled-silk method, the plain-boiling method, or the dry-rendering method); 4000 g Lipu taro (peeled and sliced; may be fried or boiled); 35 g star anise (Chinese anise); 250 g ground white pepper; 150 g minced garlic; 150 g red fermented tofu (nanru); 95 g fine salt; 200 g sugar; 150 g Shaoxing Hua Diao wine; 1500 g light secondary stock; 350 g dark soy sauce; 100 g wet cornstarch slurry

Outlines five preparation methods for Cantonese pork belly and techniques for processing Lipu taro, paired with star anise and other spices in a traditional kou rou (扣肉) steamed pork belly preparation.

3h 30m

Easy

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Ingredients

pork belly (can be prepared using the raw-frying / hard-shell method, the cooked-frying / wrinkled-silk method, the plain-boiling method, or the dry-rendering method) 5000 g

Lipu taro (peeled and sliced; may be fried or boiled) 4000 g

star anise (Chinese anise) 35 g

ground white pepper 250 g

minced garlic 150 g

red fermented tofu (nanru) 150 g

fine salt 95 g

sugar 200 g

Shaoxing Hua Diao wine 150 g

light secondary stock 1500 g

dark soy sauce 350 g

wet cornstarch slurry 100 g

Instructions

Preparing the Pork Belly (Five Methods)

The first method is to directly use pre-made crispy roast pork for the layered assembly. The second is the 'raw-frying method' (hard shell): cut the pork belly into 30 cm square blocks, densely prick the skin all over with an iron needle, brush with dark soy sauce, and deep-fry in oil at about 250°C until the skin hardens; remove and rinse in clean water to wash off excess oil. The third is the 'cooked-frying method' (wrinkled silk): simmer the pork belly in water until about 70% cooked, brush with dark soy sauce while still hot, then flash-fry in very hot oil until the surface tightens into fine wrinkles. The fourth is the 'plain-boiling method': simmer the whole block of pork belly in water until fully cooked, then rinse under clean water until refreshed. The fifth is to cut the pork belly into slices and dry-render in a wok over medium heat to drive out the fat.

Preparing the Taro

After peeling the Lipu taro, cut it into pieces 7 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 2 cm thick. Either the 'fry' or 'boil' method may be used; the former gives a soft, cottony texture, while the latter gives a smooth, slippery texture.