Sauteed Taishan With Broccoli Preserved Meat Recipe

Prepare broccoli

Trim broccoli into bite-size florets. Rinse and drain. Bring 2 cups water and 0.5 tsp salt to a rolling simmer in a medium pot.

Blanch florets in the simmering salted water for 45–60 seconds until bright green and slightly tender but still crisp. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

Mix sauce: in a small bowl combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, chicken stock (or water), sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil and swirl to coat.

Add the thinly sliced Taishan preserved pork belly to the hot pan in a single layer. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes until the fat renders and edges become lightly crisp. If your preserved meat is very salty or fatty, you may remove some rendered fat (reserve) to control saltiness.

Push the preserved meat to one side of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tbs vegetable oil to the empty side, then add the sliced garlic and julienned ginger. Stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not burned.

Return the preserved meat to an even distribution and add the blanched drained broccoli to the wok. Toss together to combine and warm the broccoli through for about 1 minute.

Give the prepared sauce one quick stir (cornstarch may settle). Pour the sauce evenly over the broccoli and preserved meat. Stir and toss constantly for 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the ingredients. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1–2 tbs water or stock to loosen.

Taste and adjust: preserved meat can be salty — if necessary, add a small splash of water to reduce saltiness or an extra 1/2 tsp sugar to balance. Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a grind of white pepper.

Transfer the sautéed Taishan and broccoli to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sliced scallion and toasted sesame seeds if using. Serve hot with steamed rice.