CC license




Ingredients:

  • 15 large dried Chinese Mushrooms
  • 4-6 sticks of dried bean curd
  • 2 1/2 pounds Pork belly
  • 2 Tbsp peanut oil
  • 6 1/2-inch thick ginger slices (young fragrant ginger preferred)
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 1/4 cup bamboo shoots sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 10 fresh or canned water chestnuts, or 8 arrowroot
  • 4 Tbsp bean sauce (whole bean preferred but crushed is fine too)
  • 4 Tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 2 slices each of lemon and orange peel
  • 3 Tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
  • 5 Tbsp soy sauce (if you've got light and dark sauces, make it 2 of the former and 3 of the latter)
Optional: a bunch of Chinese greens


Method:

  1. Soak Mushrooms in warm water until soft, about 20 minutes.
  2. Squeeze out the excess water and remove woody stems (These can be reserved to make a delicious mushroom condiment).
  3. Strain Mushroom water into a measuring cup and add plain water to equal 4 cups.
  4. Soak bean curd sticks in hot water until soft, then drain and set aside.
  5. Cut Pork belly into bite-size chunks, then blanch for 20 minutes in boiling water, then drain and set aside.
  6. Heat cooking vessel and add peanut oil, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  7. Add bamboo shoots, waterchestnuts (or arrowroot), Mushrooms, citrus peels, and bean curd sticks.
  8. Stir-fry for a minute.
  9. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
  10. Add blanched meat, bring back to a boil, and then simmer at least 1 1/2 hours, partially covered, until meat is very tender. (Skim surface occasionally for excess fat, if you wish.)
  11. If using greens, lay them on top of the stew, bring it to a steady simmer, and replace the cover.
  12. Steam the greens till tender, and then serve them on the side (or serve the stew ladeled over a bed of greens).