Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables

Put the pork belly in a wok with water without turning on the flame. Add the ginger slices, spring onion, and Shaoxing wine. Turn on the flame and bring to a boil. Blanch the pork for about 12 minutes or until you can pierce the skin of the pork. Take the pork out and set aside.

Using a meat tenderizer or a fork, pierce the skin of the pork with as many holes as you can. Use paper towels to dab the oil that emerges from the holes.

Spread dark soy sauce on the skin and the sides, and let it dry for later use.

Insert a few toothpicks into the pork belly skin to create a stand.

Without turning on the heat, add some cooking oil to the wok. The oil should barely cover the meat's skin side down. To prevent the oil from splashing out, turn on the heat and cover it with a lid. Turn the meat over and continue cooking the other side until it turns golden brown, and the skin becomes brown-red and bubbles.

After removing the meat, soak it for at least an hour in a pot of ice-cold water with the skin side down. Remove it from the ice water and refrigerate it overnight. This will make slicing easier.

Prepare the preserved vegetables by soaking them for 5-6 hours. Then wash them with water 6-7 times to remove all sand and dirt. Drain and set aside. Cut them into small pieces.

Heat up the wok without oil, pour in the preserved vegetables, and stir-fry to dry up the water in them. Remove for later use.

Heat up the wok with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, add in the minced garlic, ginger, shallots, and rock sugar. Stir-fry until the sugar melts and the garlic mixture turns golden brown. Add back the preserved vegetables, and stir quickly until all the ingredients are well combined. Add in the preserved vegetables seasoning and mix well. Then add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust. Remove for later use.

Combine the pork seasoning in a bowl and mix it well. Slice the cold meat into pieces about 1.5 cm thick. Carefully spread the pork seasoning mixture all over the pork slices, ensuring all slices are covered.

Arrange the pork slices neatly at the bottom of two shallow heat-proof bowls with the skin side down. Cover the pork belly with the preserved vegetables mixture in the bowl and spread evenly.

Bring the pressure cooker with a steamer rack and cover with enough water to boil over high heat. Place the pork in the cooker, cover the pressure valve when steam begins to emerge, and let it steam cook for 60 minutes at high heat. Wait until the steam is completely released from the pot, then remove the pork from the pressure cooker.

Remove the bowl from the steamer or pressure cooker and carefully pour the excess liquid into a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and add the cornstarch slurry to thicken it.

Cover the bowl of pork with your serving plate and flip it over onto the plate. Pour the sauce over the dish and serve. This dish is excellent with a bowl of white rice!