Recipe: Basic Braised Pork and Variations for Liz

Basic Braised Pork
Yield: 6 Servings

2 lb Pork
2 Scallion stalks
2 slc Fresh ginger root
2 1/2 tbl Oil
2 1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 tbl Sugar

Cut pork in 1-inch cubes. Cut scallion stalks in 1-inch sections. Slice ginger root. Heat oil in a heavy pan; then brown scallions and ginger lightly. Add pork and brown quickly on all sides. Meanwhile boil water in another pan, then add to pork with soy sauce and salt. Simmer, covered, 1 hour, turning meat several times for even cooking and coloring. Add sugar. Cook 30 minutes more, turning once again.

NOTE: This dish may be served hot or cold. If served hot, vegetables may be added (see Variations below). To serve cold, simmer pork until very tender, then chill with its sauce in a square mold. Slice and serve with the jellied sauce.

VARIATIONS: For the white sugar, substitute brown sugar.

In step 2, add with scallions and ginger 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed.

In step 3, add to pork 1 or 2 cloves star anise; or 2 tablespoons sherry; or 1/4 pound pine nuts, shelled.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking add:

1 or 2 cups bamboo shoots, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 or 3 bean curd cakes, diced or sliced
1 pound round cabbage, cubed. (When cabbage turns a rich red after 10 minutes of cooking, add 6 dried black mushrooms (soaked) and 1/4 cup dried shrimp (soaked), plus the mushroom-soaking water. Bring to a boil again, then simmer, covered, 2O minutes more.)
4 Cups Chinese lettuce, cut in 1-inch sections
4 eggs, hardboiled first, then shelled. (To serve: cut eggs in half; arrange on top of pork cubes.)
1/4 cup dried fish (haddock or squid), diced
1 Chinese turnip, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes

During the last 15 minutes of cooking add:

1/2 pound fresh chestnuts, cut in half, parboiled and shelled
1 cup dried black mushrooms (soaked)
1/2 pound string beans, stemmed but left whole