Xian Shao Bai (Steamed Pork Belly with Ya Cai)

Ingredients

• 900g pork belly, skin on, in one piece
• 200g Yibin ya cai
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 cube fermented red bean curd
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 30g ginger, sliced
• 3 spring onions
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp whole Sichuan pepper
• 4 dried chillies
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 500ml rapeseed oil, for frying

Before you cook

• Scrape the pork skin clean with a knife and pull out any bristles.
• Rinse the ya cai in two changes of water, squeeze it dry and chop it roughly.
• Mash the fermented bean curd with the Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces and the sugar.

Steps

1. Put the pork belly in a pan with the ginger, spring onions, star anise and enough cold water to cover.
2. Bring it to the boil, skim off the foam, then simmer for 30 minutes until a skewer meets only slight resistance.
3. Lift the pork out and pat the skin completely dry.
4. Brush the hot skin all over with the dark soy sauce and leave it for 10 minutes to take colour.
5. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 180C.
6. Lower the pork in skin side down, standing well back, and cover the pan with a lid.
7. Fry for 4 minutes, until the skin blisters and goes deep brown.
8. Lift the pork out and drop it straight into a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes, which puckers the skin.
9. Drain the pork and slice it about 5mm thick, keeping the skin attached to every slice.
10. Toss the slices in the bean curd mixture until they are evenly coated.
11. Lay the slices skin side down in a deep heatproof bowl, overlapping them like roof tiles.
12. Heat 2 tablespoons of the frying oil in a wok over medium heat.
13. Fry the garlic, dried chillies and whole Sichuan pepper for 30 seconds.
14. Add the ya cai and stir-fry it for 4 minutes, until it smells sweet and toasty.
15. Pack the ya cai firmly on top of the pork and press it level.
16. Steam the bowl over simmering water for 2 hours, topping up the water as it drops.
17. Take the bowl out and pour the collected juices into a small pan.
18. Invert a serving plate over the bowl and turn the whole thing over in one confident movement.
19. Lift the bowl away to reveal the domed pork.
20. Boil the reserved juices for 2 minutes to reduce them, then spoon them over the top.