Tang Shao Zhou Zi (Braised Pork Elbow with Sugar)
[Main Ingredients and Seasonings]
Pork elbow… 1500g
Green onions… 50 pieces
Large red dates… 14 pieces
Fresh ginger… 25g
Rock sugar… 250g
Honey… 15g
Sichuan peppercorns… 10g
Star anise… 5g
Cooking oil… 1500g
Salt… 10g
Shaoxing wine… 50g
Lotus seeds… 14 pieces
Water… as needed
[Cooking Instructions]
- Skewer the pork elbow with an iron fork and char the surface evenly over an open flame until it turns black and small bubbles appear. Soak in hot water until the skin softens (about 30 minutes), then scrub off the charred skin with a bamboo brush and rinse thoroughly. Keep the skin intact and beautiful. Place the pork elbow in a pot of boiling water with 25g of green onion, 15g of sliced ginger, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer until partially cooked. Remove, debone, drain well, and while still hot, brush with a mixture of honey (15g honey mixed with 120g water) and air-dry the skin.
- Heat a wok and add cooking oil, heating to 70% hot. Carefully place the prepared pork elbow into the oil, immediately covering with a splatter screen to prevent oil splashes. Fry until the skin turns a reddish color, then remove and drain excess oil. Soak in hot water until soft and split open. Place the elbow skin-side down on a chopping board and carve 2cm square cuts into the meat, deep but not through the skin. Transfer skin-side down to a large bowl, maintaining the original shape of the elbow.
- Wash lotus seeds and cook in water with rock sugar (3:1 water to sugar ratio). Steam until fully cooked. Wash large red dates, remove the pits with a chopstick to form a tube shape. Insert steamed lotus seeds into the large red dates, and arrange them around the pork elbow.
- Place the prepared pork elbow in a bowl, add rock sugar (100g), Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, remaining green onion (25g), and ginger slices (10g). Steam over high heat for about 1 hour, then transfer to a large serving platter, keeping the main ingredients intact.
- In a clean wok, add water (50g) and the remaining rock sugar, simmer until a thick syrup forms. Thicken slightly with a cornstarch slurry made with mung bean water. Drizzle the thick syrup over the pork elbow and large red dates.
[Key Techniques]
- The pork elbow must be cooked until tender, especially the skin, which needs to be soft enough to achieve the desired crispy texture when fried. Using a broth pot enhances the flavor.
- Maintain the frying oil temperature between 200°C to 280°C. Start with high heat to sear the skin, then reduce to ensure the skin wrinkles and small bubbles form without overcooking, keeping the pork moist and not greasy.
- Steaming lotus seeds with rock sugar-infused water ensures sweetness without altering their shape.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- This dish combines Shanxi’s famous Jishan large red dates with pork elbow and lotus seeds. The sweetness of the dates, the rich taste of lotus seeds, and the pure sweetness of rock sugar blend perfectly with the main ingredients. Lotus seeds are good for nourishing the spleen and qi, benefiting hearing and vision. Large red dates nourish blood, calm the mind, and nourish the heart and brain. Pork elbow, rich in collagen protein, enhances beauty, making it a standout among sweet meat dishes.
- The dish has a jewel-like ruby color, a natural and neat appearance, a soft and tender texture, a thick and glossy sauce, making it a high-quality sweet dish in Shanxi-style banquets and a delicious delicacy for those who enjoy sweet flavors.
Enjoy preparing and serving this exquisite dish!
