Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork
photo by MarraMamba
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 lb lean pork (the recipe calls for pork belly but this is a lighter version)
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or 1 tablespoon sherry wine
- 3⁄4 inch piece fresh ginger, skin left on and sliced
- 1 star anise
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 piece of cassia bark)
- light soy sauce, to taste
- salt, to taste
- sugar, to taste
- scallion, to garnish (green parts only)
directions
- Plunge the pork into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 3-4 minutes until partially cooked; remove and, when cool enough to handle, cut in bite-sized chunks.
- Heat the oil and sugar in a wok over low heat until the sugar melts, then raise the heat and stir until the melted sugar turns a rich caramel brown; add the pork and splash in the wine.
- Add enough water just to cover the pork, along with the ginger, star anise, chilies and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.
- Toward the end of the cooking time, turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, and season with soy sauce, salt and a little sugar to taste; add the scallion greens just before serving.
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Reviews
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So if you're not making this with pork belly, (which is unsmoked bacon) you're missing the point! If chairman Mao knew anything besides being a dictator, it is this dish! Done the way it is supposed to be it totally rocks! If you'd rather make it with trim pork loin you're missing a true decadent real Chinese dish! Life is short so indulge just once! You'll be glad you did.
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We made this pork recipe last night for dinner. It was good and we enjoyed it. We served it over jasmine rice with a side of roasted asparagus. We followed your variation and stir fried in some shiitakes, water chestnuts, and garlic. I wish the end result was a little more saucy (maybe we reduced too long?), but it was good and we enjoyed it. It also required very little prep in terms of chopping, making it very easy for a work night. Thanks.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
FLKeysJen
Key Largo, Florida