Chairman’s Red braised or red cooked pork belly (红烧肉)is one of the most famous Classic Chinese dishes from Hunan cuisine. It is extremely comforting because of the strong flavor and bright red color.
In china, there are different variations of red braised pork belly. The most popular two versions are Shanghai style red cooked pork belly(苏氏红烧肉) and Maoshi red cooked pork belly. The former version usually colored with soy sauce and sugar with a pure savory and sweet taste. However the later version is colored with sugar only with a naughty spicy savory and sweet taste. Mao style re braised pork belly(毛氏红烧肉) belongs to Hunan cuisine with a spicy and savory taste. I think that you have gotten that Mao style red cooked pork is named after Chinese chairman Mao zedong.
In addition to regular braised pork belly, dried long beans, turnip, hard boiled eggs and other side vegetables can be also add in red braised pork belly.
The original color is coming from caramelized sugar other than dark soy sauce. We call this type of coloring as sugar coloring (糖色). Sugar color can be made either water or oil. Caramelized sugar not only brings color but also great unique flavors.
How to make sugar coloring
1.Add 3 tablespoons of oil in wok and then place smashed rock sugar in. Continue frying over medium fire until the sugar melts and turns into amber.
2.Pour hot water quickly, be carefully as the liquid may splash. Let it simmer for another minute.
Instructions
1. Prepare a pan and fry the pork rind until slightly browned. This helps to hold the shape and remove the odd taste. Then wash the pork rind well.
4.Get a stew pot, add dried chili pepper, star anise, ginger slices and garlic slices to stir fry until aroma.
Main Course
Chinese
Pork Belly, Red Braised
-
800
g
pork belly -
1
tbsp.
light soy sauce -
4
tbsp.
sugar color -
1
tbsp.
cooking wine -
1
inch
root ginger sliced -
3
garlic cloves
, peeled -
2
star anise -
1
small piece
Chinese cinnamon -
4-6
dried chili peppers -
2
scallion sections -
2
bay leaves
-
3
tbsp.
oil -
1/4
cup
smashed rock sugar -
1.5
cup
hot water
-
Add 3 tablespoons of oil in wok and then place smashed rock sugar in. Continue frying over medium fire until the sugar melts and turns into amber.
-
Pour hot water quickly, be carefully as the liquid may splash. Let it simmer for another minute.
-
Prepare a pan and fry the pork rind until slightly browned. This helps to hold the shape and remove the odd taste. Then wash the pork rind well.
-
Cut the pork belly into cubes around 2 cm and the. Add some clean water in a wok, add 1 tablespoon cooking wine and green onion sections. Cook for 5 minutes after the water boils. Transfer out and drain well.
-
Place the pork belly in a pan and sauté until the surface becomes slightly brown. This helps to remove extra oil and also hold the shape after cooked by hardening the surface.
-
Get a stew pot, add dried chili pepper, star anise, ginger slices and garlic slices to stir fry until aroma.
-
Place the cooked pork in. Only pork cubes, discard the oil. Add 4 tablespoon of sugar color and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. Mix well.
-
Pour in boiling water and simmer for around 1 hour. Use high fire to thicken the sauce.
Calories from Fat 954
