The Queen's Pork and Tofu in Fermented Black Soybeans
Ingredients
- Cooking oil
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 kilo pork belly
- 1 large block firm tofu
- 100 grams fermented black soybeans
- Scallions, cut into half-inch pieces
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu:
- Pat dry the tofu with kitchen towels. Cut the block in half, and then cut each half into half-inch pieces.
- Fry each piece under medium heat until brown and crisp on all sides. Drain in paper towels.
- Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Prepare the rest of the dish:
- Cut the pork belly into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Finely mince the garlic. Sauté the garlic in two tablespoons of oil under medium heat for two minutes until fragrant and slightly browned.
- Add the sugar. Cook it in the oil for around two minutes until melted, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Pour in the soy sauce. Let it bubble up and reduce slightly, around two to three minutes.
- Toss in the pork. Cook until no longer pink on all sides, around five minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pork is tender. Add a bit of water if the liquid is evaporating too quickly.
- Drain the fermented black soybeans and add it in the pot. Stir and simmer for another five minutes to let the flavors come together. Add some ground black pepper to balance the flavors.
- Toss in the cooked tofu and the scallions. Serve with rice.
Notes
Use neutral-flavored oil for this dish, such as canola or corn oil.
Use two small cloves of garlic if your garlic is not large.
Reduce the cooking time by using a bigger skillet in frying the tofu. I had to fry mine in three batches.