Guizhou Cuishao: like croutons, but meat (脆哨)
Guizhou-style Cracklins! These are a classic ingredient from Guizhou, and're used everywhere from noodle soups to fried rice. In Guizhou, this would be the type of thing that you'd just kinda go and buy at the market, but unfortunately neither you nor us happen to live in Guiyang.
The following recipe is also posted over to /r/CasualChina, in case you prefer your recipes in Reddit form:
INGREDIENTS
* Pork belly (五花肉) or fatback (猪板油) or a combination. 1kg.
* Seasoning: 6 tbsp Laozao fermented rice (醪糟/酒酿) mixed with 1 tsp rice vinegar (白米醋); 2 tsp light soy sauce (生抽), 1 tsp dark soy sauce (老抽), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp white pepper powder (白胡椒粉). Note that Laozao is also referred to as "Jiuniang" in Mandarin. Use three tbsp of the rice, 3 tbsp of the liquid.
If you can't find Laozao, try honey instead. Use one tablespoons worth, and mix it well with the vinegar and one tablespoon of water. We haven't tested this, so do keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn (I'd guess you'd only be able to fry it for a couple minutes instead of the full amount of time).
PROCESS
1. Slice the pork belly into roughly 2cm x 2 cm x 4 cm chunks. It does not have to be exact.
2. Add the pork to a wok, cast iron dutch oven, claypot, or something nonstick together with a pint of water (500mL). Bring to a boil, then down to a light boil (you don't want the pork to break apart).
3. Once the water is almost completely dissolved, optionally add in ~3 tbsp of oil (lard, preferably). Turn the flame to low, and gently move around your pork pieces until there's enough oil rendered oil to properly deep fry in.
4. Continue to fry on low until the pork pieces are lightly golden brown, ~20 minutes.
5. Remove most of the oil, add in another pint of water. Bring to a boil, then down to a light boil.
6. Once the water is almost completely dissolved, add back in the oil from step #5. Swap the flame to low and continue to fry for ~45 minutes. You're looking for the pork to have released pretty much all of its lard and turn a darker brown - there should also be much less 'foam' (bubbles) on the surface of the oil.
7. Dip out most of the oil again, leaving ~shallow frying level remaining. Medium flame now, add in the Laozao/vinegar mixture. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until the laozao has caramelized. Add in the soy sauces. Fry for another minute.
8. Remove everything to a fine mesh strainer & let the oil drain out. Transfer over to a colander or something with similar sized holes. Shake for ~5 minutes, letting the scraggly bits fall through. Transfer over to a paper towel lined baking tray, pat with the towels.
9. Season with salt and white pepper. [Note: in the video, I season with salt and pepper at the end, because I was worried that the amount of oil you dip out might be variable. More correct would be to add it together with the soy sauce - if doing that, double the salt/pepper]
Reserve the lard that you removed in step #7. This is too strongly flavored to use as lard for baking, but works excellently as a frying lard. Use it to stir fry vegetables or rice.
The lard drained in step #8 is garbage though, however.
The scraggly bits from step #8 are called "Cuishaomo" (脆哨末), and are aggressively delicious. Mix them into your cooked white rice. They're also sometimes added to hotpot dipping sauces.
The Bilibili video we referenced in the video is here: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1HE41157bM Big thank you to Miguo20170328 there, we were really close to just calling for deep frying in lard there.
Also, thanks to George and CC for answering all of our annoying Guizhou-food related questions. George's father used to be a chef, so they were a huge help. If you're in Guiyang, do check out their bar, Tapstar. In a city of excellent taphouses, theirs stands out: http://www.dianping.com/shop/108360309
And check out our Patreon if you'd like to support the project!
http://www.patreon.com/ChineseCookingDemystified
Outro Music: คิดถึงคุณจัง by ธานินทร์ อินทรเทพ
Found via My Analog Journal (great channel): https://youtu.be/GHaL5H-VYRg
The following recipe is also posted over to /r/CasualChina, in case you prefer your recipes in Reddit form:
INGREDIENTS
* Pork belly (五花肉) or fatback (猪板油) or a combination. 1kg.
* Seasoning: 6 tbsp Laozao fermented rice (醪糟/酒酿) mixed with 1 tsp rice vinegar (白米醋); 2 tsp light soy sauce (生抽), 1 tsp dark soy sauce (老抽), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp white pepper powder (白胡椒粉). Note that Laozao is also referred to as "Jiuniang" in Mandarin. Use three tbsp of the rice, 3 tbsp of the liquid.
If you can't find Laozao, try honey instead. Use one tablespoons worth, and mix it well with the vinegar and one tablespoon of water. We haven't tested this, so do keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn (I'd guess you'd only be able to fry it for a couple minutes instead of the full amount of time).
PROCESS
1. Slice the pork belly into roughly 2cm x 2 cm x 4 cm chunks. It does not have to be exact.
2. Add the pork to a wok, cast iron dutch oven, claypot, or something nonstick together with a pint of water (500mL). Bring to a boil, then down to a light boil (you don't want the pork to break apart).
3. Once the water is almost completely dissolved, optionally add in ~3 tbsp of oil (lard, preferably). Turn the flame to low, and gently move around your pork pieces until there's enough oil rendered oil to properly deep fry in.
4. Continue to fry on low until the pork pieces are lightly golden brown, ~20 minutes.
5. Remove most of the oil, add in another pint of water. Bring to a boil, then down to a light boil.
6. Once the water is almost completely dissolved, add back in the oil from step #5. Swap the flame to low and continue to fry for ~45 minutes. You're looking for the pork to have released pretty much all of its lard and turn a darker brown - there should also be much less 'foam' (bubbles) on the surface of the oil.
7. Dip out most of the oil again, leaving ~shallow frying level remaining. Medium flame now, add in the Laozao/vinegar mixture. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until the laozao has caramelized. Add in the soy sauces. Fry for another minute.
8. Remove everything to a fine mesh strainer & let the oil drain out. Transfer over to a colander or something with similar sized holes. Shake for ~5 minutes, letting the scraggly bits fall through. Transfer over to a paper towel lined baking tray, pat with the towels.
9. Season with salt and white pepper. [Note: in the video, I season with salt and pepper at the end, because I was worried that the amount of oil you dip out might be variable. More correct would be to add it together with the soy sauce - if doing that, double the salt/pepper]
Reserve the lard that you removed in step #7. This is too strongly flavored to use as lard for baking, but works excellently as a frying lard. Use it to stir fry vegetables or rice.
The lard drained in step #8 is garbage though, however.
The scraggly bits from step #8 are called "Cuishaomo" (脆哨末), and are aggressively delicious. Mix them into your cooked white rice. They're also sometimes added to hotpot dipping sauces.
The Bilibili video we referenced in the video is here: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1HE41157bM Big thank you to Miguo20170328 there, we were really close to just calling for deep frying in lard there.
Also, thanks to George and CC for answering all of our annoying Guizhou-food related questions. George's father used to be a chef, so they were a huge help. If you're in Guiyang, do check out their bar, Tapstar. In a city of excellent taphouses, theirs stands out: http://www.dianping.com/shop/108360309
And check out our Patreon if you'd like to support the project!
http://www.patreon.com/ChineseCookingDemystified
Outro Music: คิดถึงคุณจัง by ธานินทร์ อินทรเทพ
Found via My Analog Journal (great channel): https://youtu.be/GHaL5H-VYRg
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