Ingredients
375 g pork spare ribs (pork belly), 150 g egg yolks, 60 g pork fatback, 125 g pea shoots, 30 g japonica rice.
Seasonings
30 g soy sauce, 30 g scallions, 50 g ginger, 15 g cooking wine, 15 g cornstarch, 15 g fava beans, 2 g salt, 2 g MSG, 10 g white sugar, 80 g lard (rendered), and an appropriate amount of clear chicken broth.
Instructions
1. Grind the glutinous rice into rice flour; trim the roots off the scallions, wash, and mince; wash the ginger and mince; pick over and wash the pea shoots; wash the pork fatback, cook until done.
2. Finely chop the pork belly and fatback separately into rice-grain-sized pieces, then combine them in a bowl. Add egg yolks, rice flour, minced scallions, minced ginger, salt, and a pinch of MSG, and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 5 equal portions and shape each into a round patty about 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter.
3. Heat the wok over high heat, add lard and heat until it reaches about 80% hot (around 350°F/175°C). Gently place the meat patties in one at a time, pressing them flat with a metal spatula as they fry. Fry until golden brown and a soft crust forms, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain the oil, and let rest for 1 minute. Return the patties to the wok with oil heated again to 80% hot, constantly moving them with the spatula. Fry until deep golden brown, then remove the wok from the heat for 3 minutes. Return to high heat and fry for about 2 more minutes until the patties turn a dark, crispy brown. Drain in a slotted spoon, let excess oil drip off, and arrange in the center of a long platter.
4. While deep-frying the meat patties, heat a wok over high heat, add 25 g (about 2 tablespoons) of lard, then add the pea shoots with salt, sugar, and MSG to taste, stir-fry until bright green, remove from the wok, and arrange at both ends of a long serving platter.
5. Return the wok to high heat, add 300 ml (about 1 1/4 cups) chicken broth, soy sauce, and 8 g (about 2 teaspoons) sugar, bring to a boil, then add cooking wine and a pinch of MSG, stir in a thin slurry of cornstarch to thicken, drizzle in 15 g (about 1 tablespoon) lard, remove from heat and pour the sauce over the meat patties to serve.