My Chinese Recipe Menu
- How I Feel About This Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
- Story Behind Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
- Original Name
- Cooking Tips
- Cooking Time
- Ingredients to Make Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
- Food
- Seasonings
- How to Make Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
- Preparation
- Cooking
How I Feel About This Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
Shanghai braised pork belly is one of the most iconic Shanghai cuisine and you should never miss this recipe from a Shanghainese. Almost every time I go to restaurants with my Mum and Dad, they would prefer to try braised pork belly to test the restaurant.
Braised taste is made of 2 kinds of soy sauces and some Chinese spices. It's like a sweet compound soy sauce taste. We use the same cooking method to cook chicken, beef, fish, duck, and anything about meat. Basically, it's a cooking technique that you must learn in Chinese cooking. And this Shangnhai braised pork belly would be ideal for your first braised dish.
Because of belly pork, there would be some fats. We usually eat them together and it melts in your month. If you don't like fat, you may remove it when eating. But leave these fats in cooking, it helps with taste.
Story Behind Braised Pork Belly
When discussing the origin of braised pork belly, one must mention the famous Chinese literati and poet, Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo. Braised pork belly is also called Dongpo Pork.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Dongpo served as the governor of Xuzhou. One year, a severe flood ravaged the area, causing widespread suffering among the people. Some were drowned, others had their homes washed away, and many were left homeless. So, Su Dongpo dispatched soldiers and led able-bodied citizens in a strenuous effort lasting several hundred days, eventually freeing Xuzhou City from the grip of the flood.
The people were overjoyed and gratefully offered their own pork to Su Dongpo as a token of appreciation for saving their lives. Su Dongpo accepted their offerings and instructed his household and cooks to prepare braised pork belly, which he then shared with the people. Because Su Dongpo's braised pork belly was exceptionally exquisite and delicious, the dish quickly gained immense popularity and spread among the people.
Original Name
- Translated English Name: Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
- Original Chinese Pronunciation: Hong Shao Rou 红烧肉
Note: You may use the Chinese name to order in China because the translated English name of the dishes might be different in every restaurant.
Cooking Tips
- Rock sugar is used to create the beautiful color of the braised pork belly.
- Simmer braised pork belly for 60 minutes will help both textures to be tender and braise tastes would be strong.
Cooking Time
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 70 mins
Total Time: 80 mins
*For this dish, you can leave the kitchen to do whatever you want during the cooking time.
Ingredients to Make Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
Serving: 2
Food
Pork Belly — 500g/17.6oz
Green Onion — half piece
Ginger — 3 slices
Seasonings
Oil — 2 tablespoons
Rock Sugar — 15g/0.53oz
Light Soy Sauce — 2 tablespoons
Dark Soy Sauce — 2 tablespoons
Cooking Wine — 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon — 3g/0.1oz
Star Anise — 1 piece/1g/0.35oz
Bay Leaf — 2 pieces
Fennel — 1 teaspoon
How to Cook Shanghai Braised Pork Belly
Preparation
1. Wash and cut the pork belly to cubics
2. Wash and cut green onion and ginger.
Cooking
1. Heat the pan and add oil. After the oil is warm, add green onion and ginger to fry for the smell.
2. Add pork belly to the pan and fry until it change color to yellow.
3. Add cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf, fennel, rock sugar, and hot water to cover the pork belly. Turn the heat to high. Now we are making the braised pork belly sauce.
4. After boiling, turn the heat to minimum to simmer for 60 minutes. Stir them a few times and check the water level.
5. Now here is the last step. Turn the heat to max and boil the sauce to evaporate water. It takes around 10 minutes - only a few sauces left to dip the pork belly. The sauce would be strong and sticky and help with pork belly in a delicious color.
Now you can enjoy the braised pork belly. This is the Shanghai version of braised pork belly, no chili or Sichuan pepper. It should be a little sweet flavor. Most Shanghai cuisine adds sugar in cooking. Rock sugar works better both in color and taste.
