Tiger Skin Braised Pork Belly

Tiger Skin Braised Pork Belly

　　Main ingredients

　　Pork rib meat (pork belly) 800g

　　Seasonings

　　Green onion 15g, ginger 15g, cooking wine 15g, soy sauce 20g, salt 4g, MSG 2g, white sugar 6g, rock sugar 3g, starch (pea) 2g, vegetable oil 40g, sesame oil 3g, all to taste

　　Food preparation method

　　1. Wash the green onion and ginger; cut the green onion into sections and the ginger into slices. Mix water with an appropriate amount of starch to make a starch slurry and set aside. Scrape the skin of the pork belly clean, then boil it in a soup pot until 70% cooked. Remove and drain the broth, then dry the skin with a clean cloth. Brush a layer of soy sauce on the skin. Heat the pan, add clean oil, and heat over high heat until 70–80% hot. Place the pork belly skin-side down in a colander, then submerge it in the oil (cover the pan to prevent splattering), and stir the meat. Once bubbles form and the skin turns yellow, remove it and soak in cold water for 40 minutes until the skin becomes wrinkled. Set aside for later use.

　　2. Remove the pork pieces, drain off excess moisture, trim the edges, and cut them (skin-side down) into large slices about 0.5cm thick and 13cm long. Then place the slices skin-side down in a steaming bowl. Add cooking wine, soy sauce, salt, MSG, green onion, ginger, liquor, and caramel color, pour in some broth, and steam over high heat for 1.5 hours until the meat is tender and flavorful. Remove from heat.

　　3. Remove the green onion and ginger from the meat. Strain the original broth back into a pan. Place the meat upside down onto a large plate. Adjust the flavor of the original broth, reduce it over high heat until thickened, add a little starch slurry to thicken the sauce, and drizzle sesame oil on top of the braised pork belly before serving.