Chinese Recipe : Twice-Cooked Pork

Ingredients:

• 2.25 liters / 4 pints water
• 1 x 2kg / 4 ½ lb piece boned belly pork
• 3 slices root ginger
• Oil for deep frying

Dips:

• 2 x 15ml spoons / 2 tbsps soy sauce
• 2 x 15ml spoons / 2 tbsps chopped scallions (spring onions)
• 4 x 15ml spoons / 4 tbsps wine vinegar
• 1 x 15ml spoon / 1 tbsp shredded root ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 x 15ml spoons / 2 tbsps sesame seed oil

Directions:

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large pan. Add the pork and ginger and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
2. Drain the pork and allow to cool, reserving the cooking liquor to make soup. When the pork is cold, cut into 4 equal pieces. To make the dips, combine the soy sauce and spring onions (scallions) in one bowl, the vinegar and ginger in another bowl, and mix the garlic with the oil in a third dish.
3. Heat the oil to 180°C/350°F. Deep-fry the pork, two pieces at a time, for 4 to 5 times. Drain well and cut, across the lean and fat, into 5mm / ¼ inch pieces. Serve hot, garnished with shredded spring onion (scallion), if liked, and accompanied by the dips.
4. To make Egg Drop Soup with the cooking liquor, soak 4 or 5 Chinese dried mushrooms for 20 minutes then drain, stem and shred them. Add the mushrooms to the cooking liquor and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Slowly pour in 1 or 2 beaten eggs along chopsticks, trailing the eggs over the surface of the soup. As soon as the eggs have set, sprinkle generously with chopped spring onions (scallions).