Stir-Fried Cabbage with Tender Pork Belly
A comforting home-style Chinese dish where melt-in-your-mouth pork belly meets crisp napa cabbage in a savory stir-fry. The pork is pressure-cooked until tender, then quickly wok-fried with cabbage for texture contrast.
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This dish balances the rich tenderness of slowly cooked pork belly with the light, refreshing crunch of napa cabbage. The pressure cooking method ensures the pork becomes incredibly soft while retaining its flavor.
Ingredients
pork belly
500g, whole piece
napa cabbage
300g, cut into thick strips
garlic
4 cloves, minced
fresh ginger
3 slices
green onion
2 stalks, white and green parts separated
star anise
2 pieces
cinnamon stick
1 small piece
cooking wine
3 tablespoons
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
salt
to taste
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
Instructions
1
Clean the pork belly
Rinse the pork belly under cold water. Rub generously with salt, massaging for about 2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. This removes any lingering odor and surface impurities.
2
Blanch the pork
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the pork belly and cook for 3-4 minutes until you see foam forming on the surface. Remove, rinse under cold water, and scrape off any white membrane or excess fat with a knife.
3
Pressure cook until tender
Place the cleaned pork belly in a pressure cooker. Add the ginger slices, green onion whites, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, and cooking wine. Cover with water (about 1 liter) and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
4
Slice ingredients
Once cooled enough to handle, remove the pork belly and slice it diagonally into thin, bite-sized pieces. The cabbage strips should be about 2cm wide.
5
Stir-fry and combine
Heat oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the green onion whites and garlic, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the pork belly slices and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add the cabbage, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp. Season with salt, garnish with green onion tops, and serve immediately.
