Hakka Fried Pork 客家炸肉

Ah King used to say his late mom’s cooking is the best in world. Yes indeed! My mom in law’s cooking did remind me about my late grandma’s one, the taste made me and my dad nostalgia. This seems to be the virtue possessed by most Moms in the good old day. They were diligent homemakers, they fed their children with lovely home cooking. This Hakka style fried pork was the only recipe I get to learn from my mom in law. Once a while, I will cook this to please hubby's stomach. It's quite simple!

Ingredients
600gram of pork belly(五花腩) with skin

2 gloves of garlic (smashed)

Ready to use black fungus (completely bloomed and softened)

Marinade

1 piece of preserved red pickled tofu ( 南乳)

2 tbsp of blended shallot extract（葱头汁）

a pinch of five-spice powder (五香粉)

Condiments

1 piece of preserved red pickled tofu (南乳)

half piece of fermented bean curd (腐乳）

1 tsp of sugar

pinch of salt to taste

approx 600 ml water

Method
1.) Clean pork belly thoroughly. Cut the pork belly into 1cm x 3cm strips with skin attached, marinate it for minimum 1 hour（longer is better).

2.) Coat pork strips with egg white and corn starch. Deep fry marinaded pork strips with medium heat till golden brown, drain. The crispy fried pork itself is good enough to be eaten with chili dip.

3.) Sauté garlic together with drained black fungus till fragrant. This process is important to secure the crunchiness of black fungus ( It's a tip from mom in law). 4.) Add condiments and bring to boil. Next, put in pork strips and braise for a while. Lastly, thicken the gravy with water mixed with starch (勾芡). dish out and garnish with stalk of coriander leaves.