I absolutely love this recipe because it brings the perfect combination of savory and umami flavors from the tender pork belly and the rich depth of the preserved mustard greens. Plus, there’s something so incredibly satisfying about the whole steaming process, knowing the flavors are melding together for a deliciously authentic bite that feels like it came straight from a cherished family tradition.
One of my favorite comfort dishes is Mei Cai Kou Rou. I love how the rich tastes of pork belly mingle perfectly with preserved mustard greens.
With the addition of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and oyster sauce, the flavors boasted in this dish reach a new savory salty depth that I find irresistible. Complementing the main elements are brilliant touches of aromatic garlic, ginger, and five-spice powder.
Ingredients
Pork belly:
Abundant in protein and fats; provides a very tasty base.
Mei cai (preserved mustard greens):
Imparts a unique umami taste; rich in fiber.
Soy sauce:
Imparts saltiness and depth; boosts flavor.
Dark soy sauce:
Provides hue and a deeper flavor to the dish.
Shaoxing wine:
Contributes fragrant warmth and intricate layers of scent.
Oyster sauce:
Imparts delicate sweetness and umami depth.
Sugar:
Counterbalances the elements that are salty and savory; a slight sweetness.
Five-spice powder:
Presents fragrant seasonings; supplies profundity.
Ingredient Quantities
- 500g pork belly
- 150g mei cai (preserved mustard greens)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 piece ginger, sliced
- 1 spring onion, cut into sections
- Water as needed
Instructions
1. Wash the mei cai thoroughly under cold water to get rid of extra salt. Let it soak for 30 minutes, then drain it and cut it into very small pieces.
2. Put a pot of water on to boil and blanch the pork belly in it for about 5 minutes. Take it out and give it a rinse in cold water before patting it dry.
3. In a skillet, over medium heat, warm vegetable oil. When hot, add the pork belly, placing it skin side down. Fry the pork belly until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Remove from skillet and set aside.
4. In the same pan, cook the garlic, ginger, and spring onion sections until fragrant.
5. Chopped mei cai should be added to the pan and stir-fried for a few minutes.
6. Combine soy sauce and dark soy sauce with other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into the mei cai in the pan and stir well.
7. Slice the pork belly into thick pieces and layer them in a bowl made for steaming. On top of the pork belly, pile the mei cai mixture.
8. Put the bowl in a steamer and steam over boiling water for about 90 minutes, until the pork is tender and the flavors have melded.
9. Remove the bowl from the steamer carefully. Place a serving plate over the bowl and quickly invert it, so that the contents of the bowl fall onto the plate, with the mei cai on the bottom.
10. Serve hot, garnished with extra spring onions or however you like. Enjoy your authentic Mei Cai Kou Rou!
Equipment Needed
1. Large bowl
2. Cutting board
3. Knife
4. Pot
5. Tongs
6. Skillet
7. Spatula
8. Mixing bowl
9. Steamer
10. Serving plate
FAQ
- What is Mei Cai Kou Rou?This is a traditional dish from China that has a cooking method similar to that of Western cuisine. The dish features a piece of pork belly that has been braised in soy sauce and other seasonings for several hours. The preserved mustard greens—also known as pickled mustard greens—lend a bright, tangy flavor that cuts the richness of the pork. In Hunan cuisine, this dish is often served with rice and fresh vegetables. When I make it, I usually do not use quite so much pork and follow with a hearty salad.
- Where can I find mei cai?Asian grocery stores often carry mei cai, found with preserved vegetables in either the dried or vacuum-packed section.
- Can I use a substitute for Shaoxing wine?If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, you might try substituting dry sherry or mirin, but the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
- Is there a vegetarian version of this dish?Although this recipe is classically made with pork belly, you can substitute firm tofu or eggplant to create an experiment-worthy vegetarian version.
- How can I ensure the pork belly is tender?The key is to cook it slowly and at low heat; so long as the pork belly is allowed to simmer for a sufficient length of time, the connective tissue will break down to yield a tender result.
- Does dark soy sauce differ from regular soy sauce?Indeed, dark soy sauce is thicker and less salty than light soy sauce. It has a richer flavor and color and makes dishes taste better.
- Can I make it in advance?Certainly, the flavors frequently intensify and enhance as time goes on, rendering it an excellent dish to make a day prior.
Substitutions and Variations
Dry sherry or mirin can be used as a substitute for Shaoxing wine.
In the absence of oyster sauce, a suitable substitution would be mushroom stir-fry sauce, for a vegetarian option. Alternatively, you could use hoisin sauce, which would impart a different flavor profile than oyster sauce.
If you don’t have five-spice powder on hand, you can create a substitute using grounded star anise and cinnamon. This will give your dish the appropriate flavors and you’ll never know that it used a substitute!
To substitute for dark soy sauce, mix regular soy sauce with a bit of molasses or brown sugar. This will give you a sweetness and color that somewhat resemble dark soy sauce.
Pro Tips
1. Prep the Pork Belly: Before blanching, consider scoring the skin of the pork belly in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife. This can help the flavors to penetrate better and it aids in crisping up the skin during frying.
2. Enhance Flavor with Marinade: Marinate the pork belly overnight in a mixture of 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. This step infuses more depth of flavor into the meat.
3. Optimize Mei Cai Texture: After soaking and chopping the mei cai, squeeze out as much excess water as possible. This ensures it doesn’t water down the flavors of the dish and allows it to absorb more of the sauce.
4. Control Steaming Heat: When steaming the dish, keep the water at a steady simmer rather than a rolling boil. This gentle cooking method helps to keep the pork tender and should prevent the sauce from becoming too thick or concentrated.
5. Test for Doneness: To ensure the pork is perfectly tender, use a skewer to check doneness after about 80 minutes of steaming. The skewer should go through the meat with little resistance. Adjust steaming time accordingly.
Mei Cai Kou Rou Recipe
My favorite Mei Cai Kou Rou Recipe
Equipment Needed:
1. Large bowl
2. Cutting board
3. Knife
4. Pot
5. Tongs
6. Skillet
7. Spatula
8. Mixing bowl
9. Steamer
10. Serving plate
Ingredients:
- 500g pork belly
- 150g mei cai (preserved mustard greens)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 piece ginger, sliced
- 1 spring onion, cut into sections
- Water as needed
Instructions:
1. Wash the mei cai thoroughly under cold water to get rid of extra salt. Let it soak for 30 minutes, then drain it and cut it into very small pieces.
2. Put a pot of water on to boil and blanch the pork belly in it for about 5 minutes. Take it out and give it a rinse in cold water before patting it dry.
3. In a skillet, over medium heat, warm vegetable oil. When hot, add the pork belly, placing it skin side down. Fry the pork belly until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Remove from skillet and set aside.
4. In the same pan, cook the garlic, ginger, and spring onion sections until fragrant.
5. Chopped mei cai should be added to the pan and stir-fried for a few minutes.
6. Combine soy sauce and dark soy sauce with other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into the mei cai in the pan and stir well.
7. Slice the pork belly into thick pieces and layer them in a bowl made for steaming. On top of the pork belly, pile the mei cai mixture.
8. Put the bowl in a steamer and steam over boiling water for about 90 minutes, until the pork is tender and the flavors have melded.
9. Remove the bowl from the steamer carefully. Place a serving plate over the bowl and quickly invert it, so that the contents of the bowl fall onto the plate, with the mei cai on the bottom.
10. Serve hot, garnished with extra spring onions or however you like. Enjoy your authentic Mei Cai Kou Rou!
