I made trotters using this method – sweet and not greasy, sweet and delicious!
It's been a while since I've had trotters. Thinking about the deliciousness of trotters – fatty yet fragrant – I really want to have it right away. Ordering takeout would cost more than ten yuan, and the taste might not be good. Let's make it ourselves.
Trotters are called 'sbai' in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions; on a rural water banquet, they are called 'kou'. There are two kinds of 'kou' that must appear at rural banquets: one made with sticky rice, five-spiced pork belly, and red bean paste to create a delicate 'sbai'; the other is the 'sbai' I'm sharing today, which is one of the 'nine big bowls' on a typical Sichuan banquet, full of local characteristics.
This home-style salted 'sbai' is simple to make and not difficult to cook, but it took me a long time to learn. First, peel and clean the pork belly, slice the ginger, chop the remaining ginger, slice the garlic, wash the pea shoots several times, drain them, and chop them into fine shreds.
Home-style Trotters/ 'Sbai'
Ingredients: one piece of pork belly, pea shoots
Accessories: Ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, old chicken broth, oil, salt.
Cooking Steps
1. Wash and peel the pork belly, slice the ginger, chop the remaining ginger, slice the garlic, wash the pea shoots several times, drain them, and chop them into fine shreds.
2. Add water to the pot, add ginger slices, garlic slices, Sichuan peppercorns, and the pork belly, bring to a boil, and cook until 80% cooked, then remove the pork belly. Keep some water in the pot.
3. Immediately after removing the pork belly, evenly coat the pork belly skin with old chicken broth, allow it to dry naturally or pat it dry with kitchen paper towels after coloring. Otherwise, the meat skin will splatter oil when frying.
4. In a separate pot, heat up a certain amount of oil, then put the cooled meat skin facing down into the pot, fry until the meat skin is a reddish-brown and slightly bubbly, then remove it from the pot, leaving a little oil in the pot.
5. Put the fried pork belly back into the pot with the cooking water, cook for a little while, and while the meat skin becomes soft and rotten (if you don't want to do this step, you can skip it).
6. Start cutting the pork belly into slices. Then put it in a bowl, pour a little old chicken broth into it, adjust the color with warm water (you can also use light soy sauce directly), add the sliced pork belly and mix well.
7. Arrange the pork belly slices with the meat skin facing down in a neat row in the bowl.
8. In a hot oil pot, add a few Sichuan peppercorns and ginger crumbs, stir-fry to release their fragrance, then add chopped pea shoots and season with salt.
9. Finally, spread the pea shoots on the arranged pork belly, put it in a steamer, bring it to a boil over high heat, and steam it over medium heat for 1-1.5 hours.
Below is the 'sbai' I made. I didn't use too much seasoning, trying to preserve the original flavor as much as possible. It doesn't look very good, but the taste is still great! If you like 'sbai', why not try it?
Ps:
1. The pork belly should be a square shape, not narrow strips.
2. After coating with old chicken broth, you need to dry it or use kitchen paper towels to pat it dry after coloring. Otherwise, the meat skin will splatter oil when frying.
3. Steam it for as long as possible, the meat will be soft and rotten, and it will be tender when you bite into it.
4. When eating, take out the steamed meat and place it on a large plate, then flip it over, and remove the steaming bowl.
