Twice-cooked Pork回锅肉huí guō ròu

The classic Sichuan dish is named after its unique cooking process. “回huí” indicates returning. Twice-cooked pork means that the pork should be cooked twice. Firstly pork is boiled in water until nearly cooked – a simple yet smart method to help lock in the moisture resulting in juicy meat, then use Doubanjiang (fermented bean paste), fermented black soy bean (Douchi), ginger, garlic and side ingredients to stir-fry for flavoring.

 Serves 3-4,

 For boiling the pork,

• 350g pork belly, with skin still attached带皮五花肉
• 1 walnut-sized ginger, thinly sliced姜
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns 花椒
• 1 Leek (white part only), sliced 大葱 （葱白）

Returning the pork

• 1 tablespoon  cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon Minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Doubanjiang (fermented bean paste)郫县豆瓣酱
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans 豆豉
• 2 Garlic sprouts, sliced蒜苗
• 2 red chili (optional), sliced
• 1 to 2 teaspoons light soy sauce生抽
• 2 teaspoons sweet bean paste甜面酱
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar 白糖

Instructions

1. Place pork belly in a large pot with enough cold water to cover. Add ginger, garlic, leek and Sichuan peppercorn seeds. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. If you are cooking a larger amount, cut the pork belly into sections around 15 cm long. Transfer out and set aside to cool down.
2. Smash the head of garlic sprouts and then cut the head part and leaves into 1.5 inch sections. Remove the seeds of red pepper and cut into pieces too. Heat up around 1 tablespoon of oil in wok, fry the pork belly for around 1-2 minutes (Tips  #2 below) until they begin to loose oil and slightly brown.
3. Move the pork slices out and leave oil only, fry ginger and garlic until aroma. Place doubanjiang and dou-chi, fry for another half minute. Return pork slices and give a big stir fry to combine well. Add red pepper, fry for another half minute. Lastly, place garlic spouts, light soy sauce, sweet bean paste and sugar. Combine well and transfer out immediately.
4. Serve with steamed rice.

Tips

1. You can boil a larger amount for example 600g once and keep the left half for another stir frying in following 2 days. Cool down completely and keep in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrapper.
2. If the pork belly is fatty, fry for a longer time to reduce the fat it contained. However, if the pork belly is with lots of lean meat, do not over-fry it. Otherwise, the slices will dry out.