Fermented Cabbage and Pork Belly Soup (酸菜白肉汤)

Name: Fermented Cabbage and Pork Belly Soup (酸菜白肉汤)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 teaspoons Shaoxing wine; 2 Sliced Ginger; 200 g Pork Belly, thinly sliced; 1 Thumb-sized of Ginger, finely chopped; 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped; 2 Spring Onions, finely chopped; 1.5 liters Pork or Chicken Stock; 1 star anise; 1 teaspoon White Peppercorns, lightly crushed (if using powder, use ⅛ teaspoon); 500 g Suancai (fermented Chinese cabbage), rinsed and roughly chopped; salt to taste

Pickled cabbage was always something I associated with German and Eastern European cuisines, particularly in the form of sauerkraut. If someone had told me that it was also a common ingredient in Chinese cooking, I might have laughed at the idea. How could pickled cabbage possibly pair with those takeaway classics? But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years about Chinese food, it’s to always expect the unexpected. When I moved to Beijing, I discovered that pickles and ferments were everywhere in Northern China. From garlic to radishes, cucumbers to mustard greens, green beans to chilies, as well as fermented pastes and sauces, the range of preservation techniques were astonishing. Fermented Cabbage and Pork Belly Soup (酸菜白肉汤 | suāncài báiròu tāng) is beloved by Northerners. It embodies the simplicity of many Dongbei (Northeast) dishes - taking a few common ingredients and pairing them perfectly.

TeaOranges

Prep20 min

Cook1 hr 10 min

Total1 hr 30 min

Servings4

Difficultymedium

ChineseSoupsDinner / Supper

Ingredients

3 teaspoonsShaoxing wine
2Sliced Ginger
200 gPork Belly, thinly sliced

1Thumb-sized of Ginger, finely chopped
3 clovesGarlic, finely chopped
2Spring Onions, finely chopped
1.5 litersPork or Chicken Stock
1star anise
1 teaspoonWhite Peppercorns, lightly crushed (if using powder, use ⅛ teaspoon)
500 gSuancai (fermented Chinese cabbage), rinsed and roughly chopped
salt to taste

Instructions

1
Note: Slicing belly pork can be incredibly frustrating. Either ask your butcher to slice it, or freeze it first, then slice.
2
Marinate the pork belly. Add the thin slices to a bowl, pour over the wine and the slices of ginger. Mix and leave for 5-10 minutes. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the pork slices, ginger and wine then blanch for 1-2 minutes, until just cooked. Both of these actions help to remove impurities from the meat and reduce the sweaty taste sometimes in pork. Drain and rinse the pork under cold water. Set aside.
3
Prepare the broth. In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onion and sauté until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
4
Add the blanched pork belly slices and sauté briefly to coat in the aromatics.
5
Pour in the stock. Add the star anise and crushed white peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
6
Add the chopped suancai to the pot. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes until suancai has infused the broth with its tangy flavour.
7
Taste and season the soup with salt or white pepper. It’s traditional to serve the pot in the centre of the table and let guests ladle the soup into their own bowls.