Tofu Knots Braised Pork---Making Your Braised Pork 100% Tender
Tofu Knots Braised Pork is a typical Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai style dish that I have loved since childhood. A few days ago, I bought two large sheets of tofu skin, made my own tofu knots, and used them to braise pork this time. Braised pork in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region is generally on the sweeter side, sometimes even very sweet. I once described this sweet-style braised pork to some friends from other regions, and they all said they couldn’t accept it—haha. Although my husband is from Zhejiang, he grew up elsewhere and is also someone who doesn’t like overly sweet braised pork. So every time I make it, I drastically reduce the amount of sugar. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can increase the rock sugar in the caramelization step by 2-3 times. None of the ingredients listed here are absolute; adjust them according to your actual situation.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare the braising ingredients as shown in the picture. About one to one and a half scallions are enough. Since I had some leeks at home, I added two slices, but this is optional.
Wash the pork belly and cut it into appropriately sized cubes. The size is up to you—larger pieces take longer to cook, while smaller pieces cook faster. Place cold water in a pot, add two slices of ginger and some scallions, then add the cut pork. After the water boils, simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Prepare a bowl with a piece of kitchen paper towel and place the pork on it to absorb excess moisture, which prevents oil splatter during frying later. Heat a little oil in a pan and stir-fry the pork belly over low heat until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
Add rock sugar in an amount roughly equal to the oil. You can use regular sugar if rock sugar isn’t available, but rock sugar gives a better color. I didn’t add much rock sugar because my husband isn’t fond of the overly sweet Jiangsu-Zhejiang style braised pork. If you prefer it sweeter, increase the sugar amount.
When the sugar reaches the color shown in the picture, quickly add the pork. The sugar color changes very fast at this stage, so you need to act quickly to avoid burning.
Add the pork and stir-fry to coat all sides with the caramelized sugar.
Add warm water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and a small half bowl of Shaoxing yellow wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes.
After simmering for over half an hour, increase the heat and add salt to taste. Simmer for a while longer, then transfer the braised pork and tofu knots along with the sauce to a small pot (a clay pot is ideal if available). The sauce should cover all the ingredients.
Simmer over low heat for about an hour and a half, then pour everything back into the pan and reduce the sauce over high heat.
While reducing the sauce, remove the star anise, bay leaves, and ginger. Reduce the sauce to your preferred consistency.