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Twice-Cooked Pork: From Joyce Chen’s 1961 Kitchen to Today’s Sichuan Pantry

I first discovered this recipe for Twice Cooked Pork in Joyce Chen’s 1961 cookbook, where it appeared under the name “Chungking Pork.” Like many early Chinese-American cookbooks, it adapted traditional Chinese cooking for ingredients American home cooks could actually find.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Pork belly traditional, left whole, or 1 pound boneless pork loin or boneless pork chops for a leaner version
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing Wine
  • 3 slices fresh Ginger Root
  • 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • ¼ pound Cabbage cut into approximately 2-inch pieces (about 2–3 cups)
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 cloves Garlic crushed
  • ¼ cup Fermented Black Beans minced
  • 1 tsp Pixian doubanjiang
  • 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • ¼ cup Stock from cooking the pork

Equipment

  • Stock Pot
  • Wok

Method
 

  1. Gently simmer the pork with 2 cups of water, the Shaoxing wine, and one slice of ginger. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes, or until just tender but not falling apart. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly to aid slicing.
  2. Slice the cooked pork into pieces about ¼ inch thick. Reserve the cooking stock.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the salt, then the cabbage. Stir-fry constantly for about one minute, until the cabbage is half translucent. Remove the cabbage and set it aside.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same wok. Stir-fry the remaining ginger slices and the crushed garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced pork and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until some of the fat begins to render and the edges lightly brown.
  5. Stir in the doubanjiang and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the fermented black beans, soy sauce, sugar and stock. Cook for about one minute, stirring constantly.
  6. Return the cabbage to the wok, toss everything together until well combined, and serve immediately.

Notes

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