Twice-Cooked Pork (Hui Guo Rou)
Twice-Cooked Pork (Hui Guo Rou) features tender pork belly stir-fried with cabbage in a savory sauce.
Contents (2 sections)▾
Ingredients
- 600 g pork belly
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili-bean paste)
- 2 tbsp sweet bean sauce
- 200 g cabbage, shredded
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Steps
1. In a pot, simmer pork belly in water for 30 minutes until tender. Remove, cool slightly, and slice thinly.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat, then add garlic and ginger, stir-frying until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
3. Add doubanjiang to the hot oil, stirring to bloom the flavors for about 1 minute.
4. Return the sliced pork to the wok, adding sweet bean sauce, soy sauce, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
5. Add the cabbage and green pepper, stir-frying over high heat for 2-3 minutes until just wilted but still crisp.
6. Drizzle with sesame oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Why this works
This recipe employs a two-step cooking technique that enhances the pork's flavor and texture. First, pre-cooking the pork belly in water tenderizes it, making it easier to slice thinly for quick stir-frying. This also allows the fat to render out, leading to a more flavorful dish. The doubanjiang is bloomed in hot oil, which intensifies its umami and spiciness, creating a rich base for the stir-fry. The high-heat cooking at the end with the cabbage ensures it remains crisp, preventing it from becoming soggy. If the cabbage seems too watery, increase the heat further to evaporate excess moisture quickly. The balance of flavors and textures achieved through this method makes this dish a standout in Sichuan cuisine.