Muichoi Moulded Pork

Name: Muichoi Moulded Pork
Yield: Serves 8–10 with 4–5 Other Dishes
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 30 ml (2 tbsp) thick or dark soy-sauce; 45 ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil; 5–10 ml (1–2 tsp) tapioca or potato flour dissolved in 15–30 ml (1–2 tbsp) water; 225 g (8 oz) muichoi or ‘preserved stem mustard’, as labelled; 2 pieces belly pork with rind, each about 7.5 cm (3 in) wide and 675 g (1½ lb); 10 ml (2 tsp) finely chopped garlic; 10–15 ml (2–3 tsp) sugar; 15 ml (1 tbsp) Shaoxing wine or medium dry sherry; 45 ml (3 tbsp) peanut or vegetable oil

Preparation info

Serves
8–10
with 4–5 Other Dishes

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Classic Food of China

By Yan-Kit So

Published 1992

About

The most celebrated Hakka pork dish which calls for the preserved local mustard greens, muichoi, as the main seasoning. The success of this dish depends as much on the technique of loosening the rind of the belly pork, the only cut appropriate for the dish, as in steaming it to make it succulent.

Ingredients

225 g (8 oz) muichoi or ‘preserved stem mustard’, as labelled
2 pieces

Asia
China
Main course

Method

Rinse off the salt embedded in the stems of the muichoi. Blanch them in a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes to get rid of some of the excessive saltiness. Drain, then soak them in cold water for about 15 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out excess moisture in the leaves, but leave damp. Cut into strips, then cut crossways at about 1