If I have to select “10 dishes to try before you die”, the famous Cherry Pork (Ying Tau Rou) in Suzhou would definitely make the list. There’s no cherry in the dish, but instead it’s the colour of the sauce that gives it the name. One of the best places to try this is Songhelou in Suzhou.
I have been trying to find a recipe for this for years, and I have just come across a recipe today. Not tried this myself yet, and I am not convinced that it will recreate that unique flavour I had at Songhelou. But here it is anyway – once I have modified the recipe and found my perfect way to cook this, I’ll publish it.
INGREDIENTS
- 300g Pork Belly
- 20g Soy Sauce
- 10g Rice Wine
- 15g Vinegar
- 30g Sugar
- 20g Cornstarch Solution
- Cooking Oil
METHOD
- Wash the pork belly thoroughly, and cut into 1.5cm cubes
- Mix the soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch solution together in a bowl
- Heat the oil up in a wok until very hot, and then put the pork belly in and deep fry till golden brown. Drain the oil from the pork belly.
- Pour away the oil in the wok, and reheat the wok till medium hot. Pour the sauce in the bowl into the wok and heat up.
- Once the sauce is reduced, add the pork belly back into the wok. Make sure the meat is thoroughly coated with the sauce, et voila!
Chow With Chau 