Chinese Red-Braised Pork

1. 1

   You will need a very sharp, good quality knife--cut the pork into one inch cubes---don't skin the pieces, the skin will become fork tender as it cooks. Cut six good slices from the ginger root and set aside.

2. 2

   Put the pork into a heavy pot and cover with cold water 2 inches over the meat. Cook on high for 10 minutes until the foam arises to the surface of the water---skim foam, pour meat into a colander, discard water. Rinse meat chunks with cold water, wash out the pot and place them in the pot again.

3. 3

   Pour in the bottle of ShaoXing wine and the ginger slices, then cover with just enough water to 2 inches over the meat. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium simmer and cook for 50-60 minutes until meat is fork-tender.

4. 4

   Pour in the soy sauce, uncover and cook for another 30 minutes.

5. 5

   As a last addition, pour in the dark soy and sugar, stir well, and cook another 10 minutes on a little higher heat until sauce thickens. Pour into a large dish and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with steamed rice.

6. 6

   Stir-fry two bunches of Chinese oil cabbage (you cai) with two cups (packed) of fresh bean sprouts and a TBSP of minced garlic, in 1 TBSP sesame seed oil and 1 TBSP vegetable oil. When oil is heated well, stir the vegetables around to coat, stir-fry for 3 minutes, then pour 1/2 cup of chicken bouillon over it. Stir until cabbage is slightly wilted, but still crispy, then pour into a bowl-this makes a great accompaniment with the pork dish. Let me know if you cook this dish and how it went--comments welcome!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.