Sichuan Twice-Cooked Pork
A beloved Sichuan classic featuring tender pork belly that is first boiled, then pan-fried until caramelized with aromatic broad bean paste and crisp green onions. The dish delivers a perfect balance of savory, slightly spicy, and fragrant flavors.
Story
Twice-cooked pork is one of Sichuan cuisine's most iconic dishes, named for the two-step cooking process that transforms simple pork belly into something extraordinary. The first cooking softens the meat, while the second creates that signature crispy, flavorful edge.
Ingredients
pork belly
400g
Pixian broad bean paste (doubanjiang)
2 tablespoons
sweet bean sauce (tianmianjiang)
1 tablespoon
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
green onions (scallions), cut into segments
4 stalks
cooking oil
2 tablespoons
optional: a pinch of MSG
to taste
Instructions
1
Boil the pork
Place pork belly in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the meat is about 80% done, about 15-20 minutes. Remove, let cool completely, then slice into thin pieces about 3mm thick.
2
Fry the pork
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork slices and stir-fry until they release their oils and begin to curl up at the edges, about 3-4 minutes. The edges should look slightly crispy.
3
Build the sauce
Add the broad bean paste and stir-fry briefly until fragrant and deepened in color, about 30 seconds. Pour in the sweet bean sauce and soy sauce, mixing well to coat the pork.
4
Finish with green onions
Add the green onion segments and toss everything together. Cook just until the green onions are heated through but still have a slight crunch, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve immediately over steamed rice.
