Go Back
+ servings
Twice Cooked Pork
Print

Twice Cooked Pork (Low Fat Version)

Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 300 g pork
  • 50 g fresh black fungus
  • When black fungus is fried it gives out a strong aroma which is a perfect match for pork.
  • 1 red chilli
  • 40 g green onions half for the boiled pork and half for the second cooking
  • 1 x 2cm piece ginger
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 star anise
  • 20 whole red peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon Pi Xian bean paste
  • 1 cucumber
  • small amount peanut oil for cooking

Instructions

  • Firstly, cook the pork.The process of boiling is just to cook the meat so it can be sliced thinly for stir frying, which is the original method (‘twice cooked’) when making this dish. The key to cooking meat is to control the heat. Cut the pork into large pieces as shown below.
  • Add 1 liter of cold water to the pot, half the green onions, star anise, chilli, and pork. Heat slowly on low.
  • The purpose of cooking on low heat is to allow the heat to slowly penetrate the inner layer of pork, to ensure that the whole piece of meat is heated right through. Pork will color at 80 degrees Celsius, so if the water temperature is higher than that, you can leave it for a while.
  • Simmer the pork for 20 minutes, and check the inside color that it is cooked through. Note: If the meat is frozen, it must be fully thawed before cooking.
  • While you are waiting for the pork to cook, prepare the other ingredients. Wash the black fungus and dry with paper towels. Slice finely.
  • Peel the cucumber and cut it lengthwise into eight equal parts. Remove the seeds (but do not throw them out – they are too yummy and I just eat them!).
  • The cucumber seeds seep water when fried and must be removed or it will affect the final taste of the dish. The same goes for the fungus – it must be dry before you cook it.
  • Cut the cucumber into strips and chop into 2 inch pieces.
  • Slice the other half of the green onions, chilli, garlic and shred the ginger.
  • The third step is to cut the pork into thin slices.
  • In a flat non-stick pan, pour a small amount of peanut oil. The pork is very sticky, and so a small amount of oil is necessary; in a stainless-steel wok or pan you would need more oil.
  • Put the sliced pork into the pan and stir quickly until the fat on the meat becomes transparent.
  • Then add a tablespoon of Pi Xian bean paste and stir fry evenly.
  • Add the chopped ginger, garlic and chilli and stir fry evenly.
  • Add the sliced black fungus and stir fry until its aroma is released.
  • Toss in the cucumber and quickly stir fry to combine. Not too much or the cucumber will wilt and lose its crunchiness.
  • Lastly, season with salt and serve immediately.