红烧猪肉: Cantonese Braised Pork

Flavorful, tender pork simmering in a bath of aromatic memories from childhood: oh, yes! 红烧猪肉 (with hearty potato chunks) infuses southern spices and demands attention and patience. I love the umami comfort it brings to the stomach.

My mother's recipe calls for star anise and dried citrus (usually mandarin peels) to conjure the classic Cantonese palate.




Ingredients
1.5 lbs of pork shoulder (lean), cut into medium chunks

2 cubes rock sugar
1 star anise
2-3 dried mandarin peels
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup cooking wine
1/4 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
3 slices ginger (large)
2 cloves minced garlic
potato (optional)

Step 1: In a large pot, cook the pork in boiling water for 5 minutes. There will be impurities (mostly fat) floating at the top; ladle it out and then discard all the water. Rinse the pork briefly. This is to rid the yucky meaty taste.


Step 2: In the same pot, add oil and heat to medium. Add minced garlic and the pork. Stir fry for a minute.

Step 3: Add the rest of the ingredients into the pot. (chicken broth, water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, rock sugar, spices).


Step 4: Let the sauce come to boil at high heat, and then turn it down to low heat. Cook for 1-2 hours. Stir occasionally.


Step 5: Skin and cut potatoes in rolling wedges. Add them to the pot 20-30 minutes before eating. Make sure you get the potatoes into the sauce so that it'll absorb the flavor fully.