Hakka Braised Pork Belly 客家木耳炸肉
Hakka Braised Pork Belly is a classic Hakka dish, commonly known as Hakka Zhar Yoke (炸肉 Hakka Fried Pork). Often served during Chinese New Year or any festive occasions, this dish is juicy and bursting with flavour. This braised pork belly dish is characterized as salty, fragrant and umami. The key ingredient of this dish is Red Fermented Beancurd which brings out the signature flavour of the dish. Don't miss out and try making this at home, it's so easy!
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Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 400 gram pork belly with skin, cut into bite size
- 30 gram wood ear fungus/ black fungus, rehydrated
- 1 tsp garlic, chopped
- 2 star anise
- 2 cups water, enough water to cover the pork
Marinade:
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 red fermented bean curd, mashed
- ½ tsp chinese five spice powder
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp cornflour
Seasonings:
- 2 red fermented bean curd (mashed), commonly known as nam yee
- ½ tsp chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp chinese cooking wine, Shaoxing wine
Have ready all ingredients needed to make the dish.
Wash and pat dry strips of pork belly. Then cut the pork belly into bite size pieces and set aside.
Then chop some garlic and set aside.
Next, soak wood ear fungus in water until soft and pliable, about 15mins.
When softened and enlarged, cut/tear the fungus into 1-inch bite size pieces and set aside. Be sure to pinch out the hard knobby centers of the fungus as well.
Lastly cut some chinese coriander leaves for garnishing later. And we are ready to marinate the pork belly.
Have ready all ingredients to marinade the cut pork belly.
Add in the marinade and season the pork pieces by mixing thoroughly. Leave to marinade overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Then we are ready to deep fry the pork belly.
Heat up oil for deep frying in wok or pan. Oil is ready when a chopstick inserted into oil will bubble up around it.
Deep fry pork till light golden brown in colour.
Remove and drain on kitchen paper and set aside. And we are ready to braise the fried pork.
Before braising the fried pork belly, have ready ingredients to season the fried pork belly.
Then, in a claypot or stewing pot, leave 2 tbsp oil in pot. Saute chopped garlic till fragrant. Then add in wood ear fungus and seasonings.
Stir fry briskly until aromatic.
Then add in fried pork belly and stri fry to mix thoroughly.
Next, add enough water to cover the pork mixture.
Bring to a boil. Then add in star anise.
Cover the claypot and simmer over LOW HEAT for about 45 minutes until the pork pieces are tender and tje flavour has been absorbed.
Stir occasionally to make sure the pork mixture does not dry up and burn.
Cooking is done when pork is tender soft and the sauce has thicken a little. Garnish with cut coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed white rice. SO ENJOY!
Instructions
Preparing Braised Pork Belly dish:
Marinating Pork Belly:
Deep Frying Pork:
Braising Pork Belly:
Enjoy!
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Recipe Video
Notes
Cut the pork belly into 3/4 inch thick pieces, not to small as the pork belly will shrink when slow cooked.
It is ideal to marinade the pork belly overnight to allow better absorption of flavour into the meat.
Select the thicker wood ear fungus, which will hold its texture during the long cooking of the pork. If you use the thinner cloud ear fungus, add it halfway through cooking to preserve its texture.
You need to add just enough water to cover but not submerged the pork. It should just barely skim the pork's surface. The liquid will reduce as we simmer, concentrating the flavour of the intense sauce.
Slow simmer for about 45 mins till fried pork belly is melting soft, wood ear fungus is tender and the sauce has thicken a little.
When slow simmering the fried pork belly, stir every 5 - 10 minutes to prevent burning.