Braised Pork with Dried Bamboo Shoots - Perfect with Rice

Prepare all ingredients. I bought black pig pork belly, and the dried bamboo shoots were soaked overnight. Use old ginger.

Swore to never again buy black pig pork for braising unless for other dishes, in which case I'll remove the skin. Spent over half an hour plucking hairs from 5 strips of pork belly.

Clean the pork and cut it into small chunks for later use.

Heat the pot, add oil, and when hot, sauté green onions, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon until fragrant. (You can add dried chili for spiciness, which I later did with some chili seeds.)

Add the pork chunks and stir-fry.

Stir-fry until the meat changes color, then remove and set aside.

Clean the pot and melt a handful of rock sugar until it caramelizes, stirring constantly. Add a little water if needed. I used old-style rock sugar lumps, so adjust the amount as per your preference. I didn’t measure and used approximately a handful.

Once the sugar has melted and turned slightly reddish, add the sautéed pork and stir-fry to coat evenly.

Meanwhile, prepare a clay pot lined with the soaked bamboo shoots and heat on low.

The meat should now be evenly caramelized.

Add 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of light soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of cooking wine. Stir well, then pour in hot water until the pork is submerged.

Arrange the pork chunks in the clay pot. Pour the sauce in as well.

I arranged the meat in a circular pattern. Once everything is in, bring it to a boil over high heat.

Skim off any foam. Boil for 3 minutes, then reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour. Check occasionally to monitor sauce reduction and adjust seasoning as needed.

When the sauce is reduced, garnish with chopped green onions and mint leaves. Enjoy!

The bamboo shoots are tender and flavorful—so delicious!