Ingredients
• 600g Canadian pork belly, skin-on
• 2 stalks spring onions
• 3 slices ginger
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsps light soy sauce
• 200g fresh Mei Cai (or 100g dried)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-size ginger, minced
• 2–3 dried chillies, rehydrated
• 5cm cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 250ml chicken stock
• 2 tsps dark soy sauce
• 2 tsps oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of white pepper
Cooking Method
Steam the pork belly skin side down with spring onions and ginger for 30–40 mins. Pierce the skin with a toothpick, brush with vinegar and dark soy sauce, then fry skin side down until golden. Soak the pork in warm water for 10 mins and slice 8mm thick.
If using dried Mei Cai, soak in water for 45 mins and chop. Sauté garlic, minced ginger, chillies, cinnamon, and star anise in oil until fragrant, then add Mei Cai, dark soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper. Deglaze with chicken stock and simmer 5–8 mins.
Layer pork slices in a deep bowl, pour the Mei Cai and sauce over, and steam for 1.5 hours, topping up water if needed. To serve, flip the bowl onto a plate so the pork belly is on top. Serve warm with steamed rice or in lotus leaf buns.
