Ingredients
750 g (about 1.5 lbs) pork belly, 500 g (about 1 lb) leafy greens.
Seasonings
25 g Shaoxing wine, 25 g water starch, 20 g soy sauce, 15 g scallions, 15 g ginger, 12 g MSG, 10 g rock sugar pieces, 10 g salt.
Instructions
1. Scrape and wash the pork belly clean, trim it into a square shape, poke small holes in the lean meat side with a bamboo skewer, then rub thoroughly with salt and place in a bowl to marinate for 1 day.
2. Remove the cured pork belly from the marinade and blanch it in a pot of boiling water, then rinse clean. Place the meat skin-side down in a clay pot lined with a bamboo mat, pour in the reserved marinade liquid, and add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, a small amount of crushed rock sugar, scallions, and ginger. Press the meat down firmly with a heavy plate, cover the pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and braise until the meat is tender and falls apart.
3. Remove the meat and place it skin-side down in a bowl, then add some crushed rock sugar to taste. Before serving, steam the bowl briefly in a steamer, then invert it onto a plate. Pour the reserved juices into a wok, bring to a boil, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and pour over the meat. Separately, stir-fry some leafy greens with salt until just cooked and arrange them around the plate as a garnish. This dish is savory with a hint of sweetness, rich yet not greasy, melts in your mouth, and embodies the classic Suzhou-style flavor.