Pork Belly and Suan Cai Soup (酸菜汆白肉)

suan cai

🥗Healthier: pickled cabbage

💰Cheaper: sauerkraut

Pickled cabbage offers a similar tangy flavor at a lower cost.

pork belly

🥗Healthier: pork shoulder

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Pork shoulder is leaner and chicken thighs are more affordable.

Welcome to the ingredient channel, presenting a recipe for pork belly and suan cai soup.

Pick a piece of beautiful pork belly, about 1 pound, skin on and with many layers.

Blanch the pork belly in cold water with bay leaves and cooking wine, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Prepare the pickled Chinese cabbage by slicing it into thin shreds, soaking the shreds in cold water to reduce sourness.

For the center part of the cabbage, shred or cut it, rinse, and squeeze out the water.

Prepare frozen tofu by freezing a box of firm tofu overnight, then defrost and cut into small cubes.

Soak a block of mung bean noodles in water.

Chop some scallions and mince ginger roots.

Check on the pork belly; poke the center with a small knife or chopstick until there is no blood and it pokes through easily.

Take the pork belly out and set aside to cool down, then cut into thin slices.

Pour the water used to boil the pork belly into a clay pot, add scallions, ginger, suan cai, tofu, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of cooking wine.

Add fermented shrimp for flavor and ensure the soup has enough oil or fat from the pork belly.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Prepare the dipping sauce by mincing 3 cloves of garlic, adding 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of dark rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

After 30 minutes, add the pork belly slices to the pot, ensuring they are fully soaked in the soup.

Cover the lid, bring to another boil, and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Add the mung bean noodles, cooking for 1-2 minutes until done.

Open the lid; the soup is ready to serve, which should be white with little oil noticeable.

Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve with dipping sauces.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens