I’m back with another simple but epic Chinese recipe. Last time, my Ayi and I gave you a subtle vegetable dish to add to your Chinese staples and this week we are paying homage, to what I believe is one of the best must-try dishes of all Chinese cuisine. It’s sticky, sweet, spicy and oh so indulgent – Hui Guo Rou.

Get familiar with the basics

When I first arrived in China back in 2013, this dish was one of the most frightening for me. Pork belly is not for the fainthearted, and I wasn’t used to eating my pork with a side of fat. The truth is Hui Guo Rou is a delicacy, and when made with precision and quality ingredients is such a special and delicious dish to enjoy with friends and family.

You will already know by now that Sichuan-inspired dishes are my favorite, so it’s no surprise that I’ve decided to add Sichuan spice to this versatile and uber-succulent “red cooked pork”. There are a number of variations and twists based on the original recipe, some of which can include squid and tofu.

There are Cantonese and Shanghai-style adaptations and even Beijing eateries profess to have their own unique take on this nationally famous dish. Other pork belly recipes include Mei Cai Kou Rou, Cantonese roast pork belly, and twice-cooked pork belly…the list goes on, and perhaps I may attempt to tackle a few more throughout this cooking series.

Keep reducing until you get a rich and sticky coating

If you haven’t seen, heard of, or tried this dish before, crawl from under that rock where you’ve been hiding and have a go at this insanely rich and surprisingly easy-to-put-together plate of deliciousness. Cooking with pork belly at home may seem daunting, but don’t be put off. Follow this simple recipe:

Ingredients

3 /4 lb. of lean pork belly

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoon sugar (rock sugar is preferred if you have it)

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

3 tablespoons shaoxing wine

1 tablespoon regular soy sauce

½ tablespoon dark soy sauce

½ tablespoon dark vinegar

½ cup chopped leek (optional)

½ tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Whole bulb of garlic

2 cups water

5 star anise

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cups distilled water

Serve hot!

 Instructions

1. Start by using a sharp knife to scrap over the skin off your pork braised belly to rid the meat of any excess hair. Cut into 3/4 inch thick pieces.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the pork for a couple minutes. This gets rid of impurities and starts the cooking process. Take the pork out of the pot and set aside.
3. Over low heat, add oil and sugar to your wok. Melt the sugar slightly and add the pork, ginger and peppercorns. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the pork is lightly browned.
4. Turn the heat back down to low and add Shaoxing cooking wine, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise, garlic, dark vinegar, cinnamon and water. It’s very important to the color and flavor of this dish that you have both kinds of soy sauce.
5. Throw in the chopped leek (optional), cover and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until pork is fork tender. Every 5-10 minutes, stir to prevent burning and add more water if it gets too dry. If there is still a lot of visible liquid, uncover, turn up the heat, and stir continuously until the sauce has reduced to a glistening coating.
6. Serve over a bowl of steamed white rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

Photos: Nicole Bonnah

Welcome back to the Ayi’s Recipes food series. Last week Ayi Yuan and I gave you Mapo Tofu, and this week we are sharing our recipe for one of China’s most loved and sought-after dishes, Kung Pao Chicken. This sticky, sweet, and spicy medley of chicken, leek, and cucumber has to be in the top-five list of my favorite Chinese dishes. There is a reccurring theme that you may have noticed so far in my choice of recipes – I like a dish to pack a punch in flavor, and chili will always be a part of the mix!

If you’ve not already taken advantage of the plethora of markets packed full of traditional Chinese ingredients dotted around this city, now is the time. You’re living in one the most colorful and diverse hubs when it comes to cuisine, and what better place to experiment with your cooking skills?

Chinese fare is as dynamic as this nation and is centered on time-old traditions, folklore, fanfare, and family. Learn, brush up, or fine-tune existing Chinese cooking techniques and knowledge with your ayi – don’t have an ayi? Follow this series and use these simple recipes to start your own cooking journey at home.

Get familiar with the basics of the dish

Ingredients

 1 large chicken breast, diced.

1 cup chopped leek

1/2 cup spring onions (optional)

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1 tbsp. ginger

1/2 cup peanuts

1/2 cup Sichuan chili

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. Chinese yellow wine vinegar

1.5 tbsp. corn flour

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup distilled lukewarm water

This dish is all about stir-frying. Keep it moving

Instructions

1. Add a teaspoon of corn flour, 1 tablespoon of soy, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of Chinese yellow wine vinegar to the diced chicken. Mix well and set aside.
2. Use a Wok and heat the peanut oil over a medium-high heat and add the peanuts. Stir-fry for 5 minutes until aromatic, drain and set aside.
3. Roughly chop the Sichuan chili and add to the oil with the ginger, leek and cucumber. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the leek and cucumber begin to soften.
4. Add the diced chicken and stir-fry until sealed and golden brown
5. Stir the remaining corn flour into the distilled water and add to the wok.
6. Add and stir in the remaining Chinese yellow wine vinegar, salt, and soy sauce
7. Add the sugar and stir in until the sauce begins to thicken. Add more corn flour if needed to make a thicker sauce. Continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
8. Add the peanuts and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Dish out the Kung Pao Chicken and serve!

The result should be a steaming bowl of deliciousness

Top Tips:There are a number of variations of this dish, and sometimes I like to add chopped celery and carrots. These would go in with the leeks and stir-fried until soft before adding the chicken. For a spicier dish add fresh red chili, or omit the chili altogether for a milder version. The same goes for the sugar. Add more for a sweeter and stickier sauce, or less for more of a savory version.

Photos: Nicole Bonnah