Entree: China – Northeast Dongbei – 酸菜白肉 ➤ Suāncài Bái Ròu (Thinly sliced pork poached or braised with Chinese preserved sour mustard greens in a savory broth)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 40 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) pork belly, thinly sliced
- 8 oz (225 g) suancai (Chinese preserved mustard greens), drained and coarsely chopped
- 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken stock or water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, smashed
- 2 scallions (approx. 30 g), white and green parts separated and sliced
- 1 tsp (2 g) Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
- 2 dried red chilies (optional)
- 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp (30 ml) water for slurry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- Chopped scallion greens or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse the suancai briefly under cold water to moderate the salt and squeeze out excess liquid; coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Briefly blanch the pork belly slices, about 30–45 seconds, to remove scum; drain and rinse under warm water. Pat dry.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add ginger, smashed garlic and optional Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies; stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped suancai and white parts of the scallions; stir-fry 2–3 minutes until the suancai softens. Splash in the Shaoxing wine and let it reduce for a minute.
5. Pour in the chicken stock (or water), add soy sauce and sugar, and bring to a simmer. Add the blanched pork slices, arranging them so they are mostly submerged.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently 20–30 minutes until pork is tender and flavors have melded. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper.
7. If you prefer a slightly thicker broth, stir the cornstarch slurry once and gradually add to the pot, stirring until the broth lightly thickens; heat through an additional 1–2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with scallion greens or cilantro, and serve hot with steamed rice or thin wheat noodles.