Sichuan and Chongqing salty braised pork

Sichuan and Chongqing's salty shaobai (rice shao) is a melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. The fatty, glutinous pork belly is not greasy at all, while the lean pork belly is perfectly flavorful. The chopped bean sprouts are salty and fragrant, with a crisp and flavorful chew. Mixed with the pork belly, the combination of salty and sweet flavors is so fragrant it's almost intoxicating! In Sichuan and Chongqing, this dish is a common dish at banquets and restaurants. I, a meat-averse person, saw this shaobai (rice shao) at my grandmother's house and tried a piece. My eyes widened, and I devoured the entire plate! Since then, I've become a true meat-eater. Every time I go back to my grandmother's house, the first thing I shout is, "I want shaobai!"

Ingredients

1500g pork (Choose fat and lean meat, not greasy. The recipe is for 3 dishes.)
8 slices of ginger (5 slices for blanching, 3 slices for stir-frying bean sprouts)
2 tablespoons cooking wine (for blanching)
Two packets of broken rice sprouts (Shaobai's soul partner. Remember it's not Guangdong Meicai.)
5 cloves of garlic
10g Sichuan peppercorns (5g for blanching and 5g for steaming meat)
4 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons of fermented rice wine
3 scallions (2 scallions for blanching and 1 scallion for chopped green onion)

Steps

Preparing the Pork Belly (Searing the Skin + Soaking) When you buy pork belly, ask the seller to sear the skin. This removes any dirt and imparts a charred aroma. After searing, soak the meat in cold water for 20 minutes. Use a knife to scrape the skin clean. Don't skimp on this step; a clean scrape will ensure the skin is beautiful.
Blanching the Pork Belly Put the cleaned pork belly in a pot of cold water. Add the Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, ginger slices, and cooking wine. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until you can easily insert a chopstick into the meat. Remove from the pot and pat dry with paper towels.
Prepare the sauce for the glaze. In a small bowl, place 3 tablespoons of fermented glutinous rice (or bar) sauce and 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce. Applying the fermented glutinous rice and light soy sauce to the pig skin is crucial. The fermented glutinous rice sauce imparts a bright red color and a winey aroma after frying, and also helps create the wrinkles of the skin.
Coloring the Pig Skin Evenly spread the prepared sauce over the pig skin. Allow it to absorb for 5 minutes, then apply again. Repeat this process 3-4 times. This will ensure a more even coloring of the pig skin, resulting in a vibrant, attractive red after steaming.
Deep-frying the tiger skin Prepare a covered pan with 100g of cooking oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the pork belly skin-side down in the pan and immediately cover it. Frying will cause oil splattering, and covering the lid will prevent burns. Once the splattering subsides, open the lid to check the meat. Then, flip the meat over and deep-fry the skinless side and all around until the skin resembles tiger skin. After frying, soak the pork belly in water for 2-30 minutes. This step helps the skin wrinkle and enhances its texture.
Prepare the ingredients: Slice the ginger, mince the garlic, and wash the Sichuan peppercorns.
Sauce Make another sauce: Add 4 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the bowl of fermented rice wine and dark soy sauce, and mix well. The light soy sauce enhances the flavor, the oyster sauce adds umami and viscosity, and the sugar and salt add flavor to enhance the richness.
Stir-fry chopped bean sprouts Pour oil into a wok and sauté ginger slices until fragrant. Add the chopped bean sprouts and stir-fry until fragrant. If the bean sprouts are not salty enough, add a little salt. Set aside after stir-frying.
Cutting the meat Cut the soaked pork belly skin-side down into 0.5cm thick slices.
Plating Prepare a container and evenly arrange the meat slices, skin side down. Pour the prepared sauce over them, coating each piece thoroughly. Then, top with the sautéed bean sprouts and sprinkle with chopped garlic and Sichuan peppercorns.
Steaming Place the container in a steamer. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and steam for at least 2 hours. Turn off the heat and simmer for half an hour, then return to the heat and steam again. The extended steaming process allows the pork belly to become tender and flavorful, while remaining fatty but not greasy. After steaming, discard any excess sauce, place a flat plate over the container, turn it upside down, garnish with chopped green onions, and enjoy.
Real Ingredients and Preservation Homemade siu bai is healthier than pre-made siu bai (shao bai) at restaurants, which may contain additives. Given the complexity of making siu bai, it's recommended to make two or more servings at a time. The leftovers are easy to store: they can be stored in the freezer for up to five days or in the refrigerator for three months. Thaw and reheat to retain their flavor.