I really loved that one little section of Roosevelt Road for another
reason: it had a fairy-tale like building just next to the restaurant. A big
banyan tree grew out the middle of this house, and the whole structure enveloped
it as if it were an elf’s home. It looked so strange and out of place on that
busy street, but at the same time the tree was endowed with such a feeling of
wonder and otherworldliness that it somehow just looked very, very safe from
rabid real estate speculators in bustling downtown Taipei.
Back at the restaurant, we would do our usual ritual of glancing over
the menu before J.H. announced his choice, which was invariably Twice-cooked
Pork. I’d always aim for something different, as I am one of those people who like
to have at least one thing new every time I eat. But even though I’d mutter a
bit about certain people being stuck in the mud, I would be more than happy
when that big plate of steaming vegetables and meat hit the table.
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The beautiful main ingredients |
One thing that I really liked about Tianrentai’s take on this classic is
that there was always lots of Hunan style cured pork, rather than fresh bacon, in
the mix, and the meat was balanced with an equal amount of thinly sliced
pressed bean curd. Now, that might not seem like much on the surface, but in
fact it allowed for a brilliant balancing act between the salty, dry, meaty
cured pork and the bland but slightly juicy tofu. But then again, this is a
dish that is open to any number of interpretations, so make it as spicy or
salty or meat-laden as you like.
Today I found some fresh green garlic at the market, and there was only
one dish that immediately came to mind: this re-creation of a beloved classic
from days long past.
Twice-cooked pork
Huíguō ròu 回鍋肉
Huíguō ròu 回鍋肉
Hunan
Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal
Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal
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Fry the cured meat with the ginger |
4 ounces
(or so) Hunan style cured pork (larou)
2 squares
pressed bean curd (doufu gan) of any
kind
½ sweet red
pepper
6 stalks of
green garlic or 1 large leek
(2 thinly
sliced cloves of garlic if you’re using the leek)
2
tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon
finely chopped fresh ginger
3
tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1
tablespoon bean sauce (doubanjiang)
1
tablespoon hot bean sauce (la doubanjiang)
1 teaspoon
regular soy sauce
2 teaspoons
sugar
1. Rinse the cured pork and pat it dry. Cut off and discard any rind and
tough tendons or stringy fat. Slice the pork thinly against the grain into
pieces no larger than 1 inch in the other two directions. Lay the pressed bean
curd on a cutting board and slice the squares horizontally into very thin
pieces; cut the pieces to around the same size as the pork. Remove the seeds
from the pepper and cut it into pieces about the same size as the pork. Trim
the green garlic (or leek), being sure to wash out all of the sand that lurks
in the bottom of the leaves; cut the bulb ends in half and then cut the garlic
into 1-inch pieces.
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Scoot finished things up the side |
2. Heat the oil in a wok on high until it shimmers, and then add the ginger.
Stir-fry it for a few seconds to release its fragrance, and then add the cured
pork. Move the meat around in the hot oil to sear the edges and brown it up a
little before scooting it up one side of the wok. Toss in the bean curd and
stir-fry this too until it is lightly browned; move it up another side of the
wok to join the pork. Add the pepper and quickly brown it before edging it up
against the bean curd. Finally, toss in the green garlic (or leeks and garlic)
and quickly wilt them. Scrape the meat and veggies out onto a serving platter,
leaving any extra oil in the wok.
3. Heat the wok again over high heat and add the sesame oil, bean paste,
hot bean paste, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir it around for a few seconds and
adjust the seasonings. Return the meat and veggies to the wok and toss everything
together over high heat until all of the surfaces are slicked with the sauce. Taste
again, adjust the seasoning as desired, and serve, preferably with hot steamed
rice.
Tips
If you find that your cured meat is dry or hard, steam it for about 10 or 15 minutes until a knife can be easily inserted into the center.
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Just like I remembered... |
The sauces here have wildly varying levels of saltiness, so start with a smallish amount if it's the first time you've used a brand, as you can always add more. The same goes for levels of heat and sweetness... it's all subjective, which is why you should do lots of tasting as you cook.
I keep a jar full of plastic spoons next to the stove both to shovel Chinese sauces and pastes into the wok and to test the flavors. That way the spoons can be tossed over into the sink after one use.
As with all bottled sauces, be sure to cook the sauce in some fat to both remove the canned flavor and to perk up the aromas.
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