There are so many ways to cook braised meat. Yet, because of the variety of ingredients that go with each dish, the flavor and aroma will make each one different from the others.
Take this dish, for instance. It may look like adobo but the flavor and aroma are nothing even similar to adobo. Cooked with orange peel, Szechuan peppercorns and star anise, the aroma is both citrusy and pungent. Flavored with soy sauce and rice wine, the taste is both sweet and salty.
Ingredients
- 1 k. of pork kasim (shoulder), cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 to 1/2 c. of dark soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 c. of rice wine
rind from one orange
about 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
2 pcs. of star anise
1 tbsp. of Szechuan peppercorns
1 tbsp. of vegetable cooking oil
onion leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Measure the soy sauce and rice wine. Stir together.
Place the pork in a pan. Pour in the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Add enough water to cover. Throw in the orange peel. Bring to the boil.
In another pan, saute the onion, garlic, Szechuan peppercorns and star anise in a little oil.
Cook until the onion slices start to turn translucent.
Add the sauteed ingredients to the pork. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for an hour to an hour and a half or until the sauce is thick and clear.
Serve hot with rice or manthao (steamed sweet buns).
Cooking time (duration): 1 hour and 45 minutes
Number of servings (yield): 4
Yum! Thank you, Connie. This is tomorrow night’s dinner. It is simple but it looks so good.
Quick question… do you remove the pith on the orange rind?
Yes. Well, as much of it as I can anyway. Really impossible to remove all the pith 100%.
Soy Sauce doesn’t agree with me
Is there something else you can suggest I substitute in it’s place?
Dried orange peel can be found in Chinese shops, and I think it has a mellower, more nuanced flavor than fresh orange peel. Onions are not very traditional for this type of dish, but it yours is still a very good recipe. (Orange peel is added by some to their asado marinades, or humba…)
I notice that your recipe doesnt include a ton of sugar, and I appreciate that–some Chinese dishes tend to be too sweet. I’m sure the wine would give just a perfect tinge of sweetness.