Tung Po Ruo

Su Tung Po, a famous Chinese poet was reputed to have concocted this ravishing dish. A romantic who could also cook...

This dish takes a while (a long while!) to cook but the procedures are very simple and easy to follow and the result is simply a mouth watering, melt-in-the-mouth sensation. Definitely a dish for a special feast. Duan wu jie, dragon boat festival is just round the corner so this would be a good dish to consider if you are celebrating.  

 

1.5 kg pork belly

1 T light soy sauce

3 cups oil for deep frying

3 stalks spring onion

5 slices ginger

1 star anise

500 ml water

Sauce

3 T sugar

5 T light soy sauce

150 ml shaoxin wine or mei kuei lu (Chinese rose wine) or brandy

Garnish

200 g taiwan bak coi, blanched, dipped into cold water and drained

Submerge pork in boiling water for 10- 15 minutes. Drain. 

Rub all over with light soy sauce and let it marinate for 10 minutes.
Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain.

Arrange pork and all the remaining ingredients except the bak coi into a casserole.

Cover and steam at high heat for 3 hours or up to another half hour more (if pork doesn't yield easily to a poke with a chopstick) until pork is meltingly tender.

Remove and leave to cool.

Cut pork into slices and arrange on top of the blanched bak coi in a serving plate.

Reheat the remaining gravy on high heat until thickens and season to taste.

Pour gravy over pork and veg.

Serve hot. 

Have a lovely weekend, everyone...

Note: Using different wines will yield subtly different aroma and taste to this dish but they are all delicious (to me).