Braised pork belly is a classic home-cooked dish in our country that almost every household knows how to prepare. However, apart from the most basic method, there are many variations, such as the fermented tofu braised pork belly. This recipe is an improvement on the basic method, adding the aroma of fermented tofu, making the pork belly less greasy.
How to Make Home-style Fermented Tofu Braised Pork Belly
Ingredients Preparation
Pork belly, an appropriate amount of scallions and ginger, fermented tofu, light soy sauce, and cooking wine.
Method
1. Clean the pork belly and cut it into pieces. Place some fermented tofu and its juice in a small bowl and mash it for later use.
2. Put water in a pot, blanch the pork belly, rinse and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a hot pan, add rock sugar to caramelize, then add the pork belly and stir evenly. Pour in the mashed fermented tofu.
4. Add light soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and cooking wine, stir evenly. Then add boiling water to cover the meat and bring to a boil.
5. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender. Boil to reduce the sauce and sprinkle with chopped scallions before serving.
How to Make Rose Fermented Tofu Braised Pork Belly
Ingredients Preparation
1 kg of pork belly, an appropriate amount of scallions and ginger, 2 tablespoons of huangjiu (yellow rice wine), 2 large tablespoons of vinegar, 2 large tablespoons of rock sugar, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 2 large tablespoons of rose-flavored fermented tofu juice, an appropriate amount of rose-flavored fermented tofu, a little star anise.
Method
1. Rinse the meat clean, pat dry, and cut into cubes about 3 cm in size.
2. Heat oil in a pan, sauté star anise, add pork belly cubes and stir-fry for 3 minutes to extract fat.
3. When the meat turns slightly yellow, pour out the oil in the pot, add huangjiu, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, scallions, ginger slices, fermented tofu, and its juice. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer uncovered for 3 minutes, then cover and simmer slowly over low heat for half an hour. Cook until the sauce is reduced and dried.
Tips
If you need to add some vegetables, such as potatoes or carrots, do not discard all the oil; leave some in the pan.
How to Make Special Fermented Tofu Braised Pork Belly
Ingredients Preparation
600 g of pork belly with skin, an appropriate amount of fermented tofu, one white radish, 1-2 star anise, a small piece of cassia bark, 3 slices of ginger, 2 scallions, 5 rock sugar lumps, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 small teaspoon of salt.
Method
1. In a basin, add cold water and a large spoonful of cooking wine, place the pork belly, and soak for 15 minutes.
2. Place the pork belly in a pot to blanch, then remove and cool, cut into cubes and drain.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add pork belly, and stir-fry over low heat until the pork belly changes color and releases oil. Remove the meat and drain the oil.
4. Clean the wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil, add rock sugar, and cook until the rock sugar turns dark. Then add the stir-fried pork belly and stir evenly.
5. Add cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fermented tofu juice, stir evenly, then add enough boiling water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any scum.
6. Then add scallions, ginger, star anise, and cassia bark. Transfer to a clay pot and simmer slowly over low heat. Cook for about 40 minutes, then add cubed radish.
7. Simmer until the radish is soft and cooked. Boil to reduce the sauce until thickened. Add a little seasoning salt and sprinkle with scallions before serving.
Tips
If it's inconvenient to use a clay pot, using only a wok will also work.