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Dongpo Pork




Dongpo Pork is a porky dish accidentally created by one of China's famed poets,
Su Dong-Po  in the Song dynasty.  It was believed that the poet stewed the pork and when one of his friends came by for a visit, they engaged in a game of chess.  They were so engrossed in the game that the dish was left unattended until a fragrant smell wafted from his kitchen.  Thus, this forgotten over-cooked stewed dish was created ~ 'Dongpo Pork'.











The meat is so soft that you can just use break it up with a pair of chopsticks or snip it up with a pair of kitchen scissors.


Looks fatty?  I don't go for the skin and fat, just the lean meat but my family members do.  They remarked that the skin and fat were soft, smooth and tasty!  You can serve this with white rice or thicken the gravy a bit and serve with mantou.  Tastes good too.

Recipe for Dongpo Pork

Ingredients
  • 650 gm pork belly with skin intact
  • 3 to 4 spring onions
  • 3 thin slices of young ginger
  • 2.1/2  Tbsp light soya sauce
  • 2  tsp dark soya sauce
  • 1/4  tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 50 gm rock sugar
  • 1/8  tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3  cup Shaoxing wine
Preparation
  1. Prepare a steamer, make sure there's enough water and let it simmer.
  2. Boil some water in a wok, blanch the pork belly for about 10 mins.  Take out and rinse under running water.
  3. Cut up the pork belly into 2 pieces.
  4. In a pot, add in the sauces, water, salt, rock sugar and black pepper, bring to a boil, test for taste, set aside.
  5. Place the spring onions, ginger slices in a casserole, put in the  pork, skin side down on top.
  6. Pour the sauce mixture onto the pork and bathe the meat with the sauce.  Pour in the wine.  Cover the casserole and put this on the steamer tray, cover and let it steam/double boil under medium low heat, for 3.1/2  hours, till the meat is tender and the skin glossy. ( After every hour, bathe the meat with the sauce and flip over the pork belly).  
  7. Fine tune to taste.
  8. Blanch some vegetables, arrange on the plate with the pork belly.
  9. Serve and enjoy.
Note :  Do ensure that there's enough water in the steamer pot, now and then.


I'm submitting this to   Muhibbah Malaysian Monday!    Do check it out  Here!

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Comments

  1. ZoeApril 20, 2011 at 12:21 PM

    I'm always lousy cooking pork. Really envy your dish and I wish that I can cook this dish as good as you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elin ChiaApril 20, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    Wow...looks delicious ! I must try this one day :) Love the fat :p

    ReplyDelete
  3. penny aka jeroxieApril 20, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    oh wow! looks super juicy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak LoverApril 20, 2011 at 4:53 PM

    I have yet to try this, probably i will use the pressure cooker to cook, 3hours++ is pretty long huh, hehehe..

    ReplyDelete
  5. ann lowApril 20, 2011 at 7:22 PM

    Cheah, I remember I had this DongPo Pork in HangZhou China at a restaurant just next to the beautiful West Lake. The pork was really fatty compare to yours, I also go for the meat only ;DD
    I thought this is stewed not until I saw your post..do you think I can use slow cooker ;D

    ReplyDelete
  6. shazApril 20, 2011 at 9:28 PM

    Ooooh, seriously hungry now! We love this dish, always get it when we go to Esquire Kitchen :) Soooo good with mantou.

    Thanks for another great MM entry!

    ReplyDelete
  7. yummylittlecooksApril 20, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    This is so delicioussss!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sokehah cheahApril 20, 2011 at 11:21 PM

    Zoe
    It's easy, just put in the steamer but remember to add water in the steamer pot, that's all.

    Elin
    Gosh, you like the fat? Very filling and not healthy, momsie!

    Sonia
    I think you can use the pressure cooker, can try.

    Anncoo
    I suppose u can try with the slow cooker or pressure cooker. Or you can braise it first, then steam for 30 mins.

    Shaz
    Yes, totally agree with you, the gravy goes extremely well with mantou.

    yummylittlecooks
    Thanks for dropping by. Yes the lean meat is delicious to me!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sokehah cheahApril 20, 2011 at 11:23 PM

    PapaCheong
    Perhaps you can do it during the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. lenaApril 21, 2011 at 1:28 AM

    i didnt know dongpo is a name of a poet, i thought it's just a name of some places in china or guangdong. I have the courage to eat the fats layer but i dont know whether i have the courage to cook this or not..

    ReplyDelete
  11. MaryMohApril 21, 2011 at 4:18 AM

    Mmmm...that's such a beautiful piece of fatty pork. Looks like it will melt in the mouth. I like that...once in a while :P

    ReplyDelete
  12. JeannieApril 21, 2011 at 1:42 PM

    I have tried cooking this before using another recipe and they were delicious but too much fat for my liking! Yours have got so much lean meat, I like!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Babe_KLApril 21, 2011 at 2:34 PM

    my mother taught me how to make this but somehow it wasn't melt in the mouth texture :(

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sokehah cheahApril 21, 2011 at 2:37 PM

    Lena
    He's a very famous poet from Hangzhou. I'm sure you can, just let it steam and only remember to add water in the pot.

    MaryMoh
    I was told the fat melted in the mouth but I only zoomed in for the lean meat! Seems the skin is the best part!

    Jeannie
    You can try again with a not so fatty piece of pork belly. Then go for the lean meat.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Biren @ Roti n RiceApril 21, 2011 at 11:15 PM

    It looks very well done! Perhaps the steaming time can be shortened using the pressure cooker.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sokehah cheahApril 21, 2011 at 11:43 PM

    babe_kl
    Thanks for visiting my blog. The fat is soft, melt in the mouth.

    Biren
    Thanks! I suppose you can use a pressure cooker to make this.

    ReplyDelete
  17. pigpigscornerApril 22, 2011 at 9:11 PM

    One of my favs! I'd attack the fats first.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sokehah cheahApril 24, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    pigpigscorner
    Hmmm .... didn't know you like the fatty parts! If you don't mind the fat, then you should give this dish a shot!

    ReplyDelete

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