How to make it
5 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Place the pork belly
Place the pork belly in a pot with enough water to cover. Add the smashed garlic cloves, half of the ginger slices, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until the pork is just cooked through (a chopstick should be able to pierce it with some resistance).
20 minRemove the pork from the water and let it cool completely
Remove the pork from the water and let it cool completely (chilling in the fridge for 30 minutes makes it easier to slice). Slice the pork belly as thinly as possible into uniform pieces.
30 minHeat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the pork slices and stir-fry until the fat begins to render and the edges of the pork slices start to curl upward into a 'lamp-wick' shape.
Push the pork to one side of the wok
Push the pork to one side of the wok. Add the spicy bean paste (doubanjiang) and fermented black beans to the oil in the center. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until the oil turns red and fragrant, then incorporate with the pork. Add the remaining ginger slices.
Add the sliced green garlic, soy sauce, and sugar
Add the sliced green garlic (or leeks), soy sauce, and sugar. Increase the heat and stir-fry quickly until the green garlic is wilted but still bright green. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
A little kitchen wisdom
The secret to this dish is the 'twice-cooking' process: boiling the pork first to ensure tenderness and then frying it to render the fat until the edges curl slightly. Use high-quality Pixian doubanjiang for the most authentic flavor.
