Authentic Chinese Pork Dishes
Posted on: 12 July 2019
If you enjoy eating out at Chinese restaurants, you'll know meat dishes are popular. Chicken curries, braised beef and prawn rice dishes can be found on the menu of any Chinese restaurant, and pork dishes can be overlooked for classic dishes that are more familiar. Pork tends to be thought of as a dry meat, but there are several authentic dishes that are centred around well-marinated or tenderised pork that's packed with flavour. Here are four Chinese pork dishes that aren't to be missed:
Crispy Pork Steamed Eggs
This dish is comfort food at its best and can be served as a side dish or as a hearty main dish with rice and sautéed vegetables. Steamed eggs are made by combining whisked eggs with meat stock and water, and the eggs are gently steamed until just set. They have a silky smooth texture, which contrasts well with the crispy pork pieces that are served on top. The pork is marinated in soy, ginger and rice wine, which gives it a deep umami flavour. It's them fried until browned and crispy and garnished with spring onions.
Cantonese Cha Guo
This dish is essentially a savoury filled rice cake that is a staple during Chinese New Year festivities. It makes a filling starter and consists of ground pork sautéed with shitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, dark rice wine, oyster sauce and daikon radish. The filling is spooned into small dough circles made with glutinous rice flour and tapioca starch before being steamed and served warm.
Ma Po Pork
Ma Po pork is a spicy dish from the Sichuan province that's served with rice. Pork is cooked with ginger, garlic, cayenne, soy sauce and mashed fermented black beans, which are soybeans that have been preserved with salt, ginger and spices. Towards the end of cooking, firm tofu and peas are added to the pan. The pungent flavours combine to create a rich dish that's unlike anything else you've ever tasted.
Shandong Pork And Fish Dumplings
Fish and pork may sound like an odd combination, but these dumplings are popular throughout Northern China. Mackerel is typically used and helps give the filling a soft texture. It is combined with pork, garlic, sesame oil and ground Sichuan pepper, which imparts its unique spicy flavour into the dish. The dumplings are made using a wheat flour base and are steamed before being served with a garlic and a soy dipping sauce.
With so many authentic dishes to try, next time you visit a Chinese restaurant, give the chicken a miss and try out a new pork dish.
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