Steamed Pork with Preserved Mustard Greens is one of the most classic dishes in Hakka cuisine. The pork belly is braised until tender and melt-in-your-mouth, paired with savory preserved mustard greens. The flavors meld together perfectly, making it an incredibly satisfying dish with rice.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 500g pork belly (whole piece)
· 100g preserved mustard greens (soaked and washed)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4 slices of ginger
· 1 stalk of scallion (cut into segments)
· 2 star anise
· 3-4 cloves minced garlic
🌴 Seasonings:
· 3 tbsp light soy sauce (about 30ml)
· 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (about 10ml, for color)
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce (about 10ml)
· 2 tbsp cooking wine (about 20ml, for blanching)
· 1 tsp sugar (about 5g, to enhance flavor)
· A pinch of white pepper powder
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Boil the Pork
Place the pork belly in a pot of cold water with ginger, scallion, star anise, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 20 minutes until a chopstick can easily pierce through the meat. Remove and let cool. ⚠️ Note: Never overcook it, or the meat will be too soft and crumble when sliced. - Pan-fry the Skin
Pat the cooled pork dry with paper towels. Heat a little oil in a pan, place the pork skin-side down, and pan-fry over medium heat until the skin is golden and blistered. Remove, let cool, and cut into thick slices. ⚠️ Note: The oil will splatter, so cover the pan with a lid! I’ve tried it without a lid and got burned. - Stir-fry the Mustard Greens
Add a little oil to the pan, sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the soaked and washed mustard greens and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar, and mix well. ⚠️ Note: Make sure to soak and wash the mustard greens thoroughly to remove any grit. - Arrange and Steam
Take a deep bowl and arrange the pork slices skin-side down. Spread the stir-fried mustard greens on top and press down firmly. Once the water is boiling, steam over high heat for 40-50 minutes until the pork is tender. ⚠️ Note: Steam long enough for the pork to become melt-in-your-mouth tender. - Serve
Remove the steamed pork and invert it onto a serving plate. ⚠️ Note: Be careful when inverting the bowl to avoid burning yourself.
💡 More Tender and Flavorful Pork Dishes:
If you enjoy this steamed pork with preserved mustard greens, you should also try my [Twice-Cooked Pork] for another incredibly savory and satisfying dish.
Want to explore more? Check out my full [Main Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
The key to Steamed Pork with Preserved Mustard Greens is “tender, flavorful, and not greasy.” Boil the pork first, then pan-fry the skin until blistered. Always cover the pan when frying the skin to prevent splattering. Wash the mustard greens thoroughly to remove grit. Steam for at least 40 minutes for the best texture.
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