Pork Belly with Chinese Preserved Mustard (梅菜扣肉) - Instant Pot Recipe




Ingredients:

Main Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lb Pork Belly
  • 1 1/2 Cup Chinese Preserved Mustard aka Mei Cai (梅菜)

Ingredients for Boiling Pork Belly

  • 5 One-Inch Sized of Ginger Slices
  • 1  Star Anise
  • 1 Stalk of Green Onion
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing Wine

Ingredients for Boiled Pork Belly Marinate

  • 2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 7 Tbsp Oil

Ingredients for Fried Pork Belly Seasoning

  • 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 4 tsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tsp Sweet Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Shaoxing Wine
  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Oyster Sauce

Ingredients for Chinese Preserved Mustard aka Mei Cai (梅菜) Seasoning

  • 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • 2 Tbsp Oil

Preparation:

Chinese Preserved Mustard aka Mei Cai (梅菜)

  1. Soak Chinese Preserved Mustard aka Mei Cai (梅菜) in a bowl overnight.  It should be soaked at least 6-7 hours ahead.
  2. When it is ready the following day, wash the preserved mustard with the water a couple of times to get rid of sand (if any).
  3. Remove excessive water by gently squeezing the preserved mustard.
  4. Finely chop them, especially the big pieces on the cutting board and set aside.
  5. On a medium frying pan or a wok, add 2 Tbsp of oil on a medium low heat. Add chopped preserved mustard, the seasoning and the water.  Stir fry them for about 6-7 minutes.  
  6. Turn the heat off and set aside.
Pork Belly
  1. Wash the pork belly.
  2. On a medium sauce pan, add pork belly.  Add water to completely cover the pork belly.
  3. Add the ingredients for boiling pork belly that are mentioned above
  4. On a high heat, boil it.  When the water is boiled, turn the heat to the medium and continue to boil it for 20 minutes without the lid.
  5. Take the pork belly out of the boiling water.  Strain it to drain the excessive water and let it set aside to cool off. 
  6. About 5 minutes later, use the fork to poke through the skin/top surface of the boiled pork belly.
  7. Next, marinate thoroughly it with the dark soy sauce on both sides. The ingredient is mentioned above under Ingredient for Boiled Pork Belly Marinade section.
  8. In a medium wok or a frying pan, add 5Tbsp of oil on a medium heat. Place the skin side of the boiled pork belly into the heated oil. Be careful since the oil might splash everywhere due to the water from the boiled pork belly.  Fry it for a couple of minutes.   You'll see some crispiness on the skin.  Turn the pork belly upside down and fry it a couple of more minutes to the other side.  Then, fry each side of the pork belly for about one minute each.  All four sides of the pork belly should be thoroughly fried to get some brownness.
  9. Turn the heat off and let it cool on a plate or a tray to cool it off. 
  10. Slice it into about 1/4 inch thickness slices. 
  11. In a small bowl, add all seasonings indicated under Ingredients for Fried Pork Belly Seasoning section.
  12. Pour the seasoning to the pork slices at step#10.  Thoroughly rub each piece with the seasoning.
Putting Everything Together:
  1. In a medium-sized bowl (that could fit into the Instant Pot), lay each marinated pork slice with the pork rind side facing downward (ie- against the bottom of the bowl).  Lay each of them next to each other. 
  2. Pour the seasoning juice into the bowl.
  3. Transfer the cooked Chinese Mustard aka Mei Cai over to pork slices in the bowl.  Make sure that Mei Cai cover all pork slices.  If there is the juice from Mei Cai, pour it into the bowl as well.
  4. Add the steamer stand to the instant pot.  Fill the instant pot with the water.   The water level should be below of the steamer stand. 
  5. Place the bowl onto the steamer stand.
  6. Steam for 70 minutes.
  7. Release the pressure from the instant pot.
  8. Carefully transfer the bowl out of the steamer stand.  It is pretty hot and there are juices in the bowl so be careful yourself not to get burnt.
  9. Place a place that is at least 2-inch diameter bigger than the bowl, under the bowl.  Flip the plate over.  There you have the delicious meal on the plate.  Again, juices might be there, so be careful not to spill them.
  10. Optional: Filter the juice from the plate to a small wok.  In a small bowl, Add 1 Tbsp of corn starch with 1 Tbsp of water.  On a low medium heat, cook the juice in the small wok.  Pour the corn starch mixture into the wok and cook it to get the slightly thick consistency.  Once done, drizzle it over the pork on the serving plate.
  11. Ready to serve now and enjoy.

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