Suan Ni Bai Rou (Sliced Pork with Garlic Sauce)

Method10 steps · about 1 hr 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 1 lb pork belly in a medium pot with the 6 cups cold water, 5 slices poaching ginger, 1 star anise pod, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 whole poaching scallions and 1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30–40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes and continue until the pork is cooked through and fork-tender.

   Poach the pork belly · 30 minUses 1 lb lean raw pork belly, preferably one whole piece; skin on or off · 6 cups cold water, for poaching the pork · 5 slices ginger, for poaching the pork · 1 star anise · 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine · 2 whole scallions, for poaching the pork · 1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns, for poaching the pork

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Lift the cooked pork onto a plate and cover it with an overturned plate or bowl so it does not dry out. Measure and reserve ⅓ cup of its poaching liquid. Let the pork cool just enough to handle while making the sauce; refrigerate the cooked pork and reserved liquid promptly if serving is delayed.

   Uses The cooked pork belly lifted from the pot, excluding the remaining poaching liquid and aromatics · ⅓ cup liquid measured from the pork-poaching pot

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Finely chop the sauce scallion (1), keeping its white and green parts separate. Keep the green parts for the final garnish.

   Uses 1 scallion, finely chopped with white and green parts kept separately

4. 4

   Step 4: In a heatproof bowl, combine the 10 minced garlic cloves, 3 minced sauce-ginger slices, the white parts of the chopped sauce scallion, 2 tbsp red chili flakes or your preferred amount, and 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder.

   Uses 10 cloves garlic, minced, for the sauce · 3 slices ginger, minced, for the sauce · All the white parts of the one chopped sauce scallion, with greens reserved separately · 2 tbsp red chili flakes, or adjust to taste · 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the ⅓ cup sauce oil to 225°F (about 107°C). Carefully pour it over the aromatics and chili flakes in the heatproof bowl, then stir well.

   Uses ⅓ cup oil, heated to 225°F (about 107°C) · Prepared sauce aromatics and chili flakes

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Stir in the 3½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp sesame oil. Add the optional 1 tbsp sesame paste or tahini if using, and stir until well combined.

   Uses Oil-bloomed sauce aromatics · 3½ tbsp light soy sauce · 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar · 1 tablespoon sugar · 1 teaspoon sesame oil · 1 tbsp sesame paste or tahini, optional

7. 7

   Step 7: Julienne the small cucumber (1) and arrange it across the bottom of the serving plate.

   Uses 1 small cucumber, julienned

8. 8

   Step 8: Once the covered pork is cool enough to handle, slice it thinly and arrange the slices neatly over the cucumber.

   Uses All the cooked pork belly, separate from the reserved poaching liquid · Julienned cucumber on the serving plate

9. 9

   Step 9: Just before serving, stir the reserved ⅓ cup poaching liquid and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds into the prepared sauce. The sauce can be warm or at room temperature for immediate serving.

   Uses Prepared garlic-chili sauce · The reserved ⅓ cup pork-poaching liquid · 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

10. 10

    Step 10: Pour the finished sauce evenly over the sliced pork and cucumber. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped scallion greens and serve.

    Uses Sliced pork on cucumber · Finished garlic-chili sauce · All the green parts of the one sauce scallion, with whites already used in the sauce