Shao Bai (Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables)
Skin-on pork belly is simmered until just tender, seasoned on the skin side, pan-fried and sliced, then layered with preserved vegetables in a bowl and steamed under pressure.
Ingredients
Pork belly with skin (a small amount of lean meat is fine)
to taste
Preserved vegetables (yaca), soaked
to taste
Soy sauce (for coating the skin)
to taste
Sugar (for coating the skin)
to taste
Salt (for coating the skin and adding to the bowl)
to taste
Oil (for frying)
to taste
Instructions
1
Boiling and Marinating the Meat
Wash the pork belly, place it in a pressure cooker, add water, and cook. Once pressure builds up, cook for about 4 minutes. Remove once cooled, then coat the skin with soy sauce, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Place it skin-side down for more than 3 hours. Soak the preserved vegetables.
2
Frying the Skin
Heat oil in an iron pan until hot. Place the meat in the pan skin-side down and fry until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the pan.
3
Slicing and Steaming
Slice the meat (each slice should include the skin and be about 5 mm wide) and arrange them neatly in a bowl. Add soy sauce and salt to taste. Top with the soaked preserved vegetables. Steam in a pressure cooker. Once pressure builds up, steam for about 5 minutes. Remove, place a plate over the bowl, and flip it upside down to serve.
