DongPo Stewed Pork

Introduction

DongPo Stewed Pork (Simplified Chinese: 东坡肉; Traditional Chinese: 東坡肉; Pinyin: Dong Po Rou;) is a famous Chinese dish throughout the country. It is made by pork belly, normally cut in a 3 inches square with ideally equally fat and lean meat. The dish is famous for its brown and bright color and the mouthfeel is oily but not greasy, with strong fragrance due to Shaoxin Wine.

To cook this dish can be a time-consuming process, which usually takes at least 3-4 hours, thus it is better to eat Dongpo Stewed Pork in a Chinese restaurant.

In Chinese(Pronunciation)

Simplified Chinese: 东坡肉;

Traditional Chinese: 東坡肉;

Pinyin: Dōng pō ròu;

Nutrition

Calories (kcal) 384.93(Per 100 grams)

Carbohydrate (g) 1.68(Per 100 grams)

Fat (g) 39.16(Per 100 grams)

Protein (g) 6.33(Per 100 grams)

Cellulose (g) 0.37(Per 100 grams)

Calories

DongPo Stewed Pork (Dong Po Rou) is estimated to be 385 kcal per 100 grams of calories..

Origin

According to Chinese folk story, this dish is created by the famous poet and gastronome Su Dongpo. Not only did Su Dongpo achieve remarkable artistic attainments, he was also a statesman in the court of Song Dynasty.

Legend has it that during he was banished to Hangzhou, and in there he was devoted to work for the welfare of the local people. Once there occurred a severe flood, Su Dongpo personally lead the people to rescue the city dam, which process lasted for 77 days. Local people wished to thank him by giving him pork and local rice wine (Huang Jiu), but he refused and turned those gift into delicious stewed pork, and then sent them back to each family in the city, becoming the origin of the name of Dongpo pork.

He first braised the pork, added huangjiu (yellow wine) to make red-braised pork, then slowly stewed it on low heat.

Recipe

Ingredient

Pork belly (五花肉)	2 lbs
Ginger	4 slices
Garlic sprouts	2 stalks
Ginger	5 slices
Crystal sugar	3 oz
Bean sauce	1/4 spoon
Cooking wine	1 fl oz
Water	1.5 cup
Red dates	6 piece

Directions

Step 1

Remember to select thick pork belly that has tight muscle to reach a better flavor

Step 2

Cut the meat into 1.5 inches square and use a cotton string to tie a parcel knot.

Step 3

Pour oil to pan and heat up over medium heat and put in the pork belly with its rind downward. Fry until oil from fat slightly comes out and put it away for later use.

Step 4

Get a big Chinese frying pan, and tile garlic sprouts on the bottom of the pan and then put a small bamboo pat over to avoid burning the pork belly too much, and then put the boiled pork belly on the pat.

Step 5

Add a spoon of water and then put crystal sugar in the pan over medium heat until the sugar is fully melted and turn into syrup.

Step6

Add 2 spoon of bean sauce, a cup of cooking wine and a cup of water. Turn up the heat until the water is boiling and then turn down to medium heat and cook for 60min.

Step 7

Put the meat and sauce in a plate and steam for another 60min.