Stewed Pork Belly with Beancurd Skin (南乳腐竹炆豬肉)

I bought two slices of pork belly, which have been sitting in my freezer for a while. The children don't like it (too fatty), and I can't make crispy pork belly when it's already been sliced.

My parents advised me that when cooking the beancurd skin, they achieve that lovely chewy texture by deep-frying the skin after it has been reconstituted, then cooking it slowly for a long time. I usually can't be bothered deep-frying - too messy, too unhealthy and I am left with a huge quantity of tainted oil (which I do reuse, but it takes ages to use up!). I use a heavy-based pan with a frying basket, which makes lifting the ingredients out of the pan far easier. I also deep-fried the pork belly before the slow-cook. The end result was sweet, rich and sticky, with meltingly tender pork contrasting well with the chewy beancurd skin and the sweet petits pois. The sauce was lovely when mixed with rice and the petits pois added a nice, colourful touch to the dish.

Ingredients

• Two slices of pork belly, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3-4 lengths of dried beancurd skin (腐竹)
• 1-2 cubes of fermented red tofu (南乳), plus 3 spoonfuls of the liquid in the jar
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and bashed with the flat of a cleaver
• 2 slices of raw ginger, peeled and bashed with the flat of a cleaver
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce for colour
• Frozen petits pois (as many as you like)
• Sunflower or vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Splash of sesame oil
• Water to top up

Serves 4

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 140 degrees. Wash the pork belly cubes and dry thoroughly on kitchen towel. Half fill a roasting tin with hot water and place the beancurd skin in, until it has softened. Remove the softened beancurd skin and dry thoroughly on kitchen towel
• Heat a 3cm depth of cooking oil in a heavy-based pan until bubbles appear on a wooden chopstick which is placed in the oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the pork belly and deep fry for 4 minutes. Remove the pork and place on kitchen towels to absorb some fat. Re-heat the oil and when it is ready, add the beancurd skin, frying for 30 seconds. Remove and place on kitchen towels to absorb some of the oil
• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based pan over a moderate-high heat. Add the ginger and fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue to stir-fry, making sure it doesn't catch and burn. Add the sliced onions and fry for 1-2 minutes until they begin to soften
• Add the fermented red tofu and break it up in the pan. Add the pork belly and beancurd skin, then add 3 spoonfuls of the red liquid and mix thoroughly with the ingredients
• Add the Shaoxing wine, sugar and dark soy sauce to the pan, then top up with water until the ingredients are almost, but not quite covered. Mix thoroughly then return to the boil
• Transfer to a casserole dish if necessary and put the lid on. Place in the oven for 1hr 30 minutes
• Remove from the oven - the sauce should have reduced in the pan, so add a little more water if necessary
• Place back on the hob on a low heat and add the petits pois. Stir, cover and cook for a further 3-4 minutes
• Remove from the heat and add a splash of sesame oil. Serve with steamed rice

Stewed Pork Belly with Beancurd Skin (南乳腐竹炆豬肉)