Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) pork tongue, 50 g sour jujube seeds (suan zao ren), 450 g (about 2 cups) seasoned braising liquid.
Seasonings
10 g ginger, 10 g sesame oil, 15 g cooking wine, 15 g scallion, 3 g Sichuan peppercorns, 3 g salt, 1 g MSG, 25 g rock sugar.
Instructions
1. Crush the sour jujube seeds (either raw or roasted will work), boil them in water twice, and collect 700 ml of the medicinal liquid; wash the pork tongue clean, cut it into two pieces, and place them in the medicinal liquid. Wash and crush the ginger and scallions, add them along with the Sichuan peppercorns to the pot with the pork tongue, and cook until the tongue is about 70% done, skimming off any foam, then remove the tongue and let it cool slightly.
2. Pour the braising liquid into a pot and bring to a boil over low heat. Add the pork tongue and braise until fully cooked, then remove. Pour some of the braising liquid back into the pot, add rock sugar, MSG, and salt, and simmer over low heat until it reduces to a thick glaze. Stir in cooking wine, then brush the mixture evenly over the pork tongue. Finish by brushing with sesame oil, slice, and arrange on a plate. This dish has a glossy red color, tender and melt-in-your-mouth meat, and a pleasant sweet-and-sour flavor.