Dongpo pork

Originating in the Huangzhou province in China, Dongpo pork is rumoured to have been invented by the Chinese poet and scholar Su Dongpo while in exile. This modern version sees the pork steamed in a bag retaining all its juices.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  2 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp cornflour 
• 350 g pork shoulder steak 
• 2 tsp yellow rock sugar (see note) 
• 2 tsp maltose
• 2 spring onions, sliced 
• 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (see note) 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 
• steamed rice, steamed Asian greens, Chinese pickles and chilli sauce, to serve

Marinating time 1 hour

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Instructions

Combine 2 teaspoons each of the soy sauce and cornflour. Add the pork and marinate for 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, rock sugar, maltose, spring onions and 250 ml (1 cup) water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of cornflour with 2 teaspoons of cold water and mix to a smooth paste. Add to the soy sauce mixture and cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Add the shaoxing rice wine and mix to combine. Remove from the heat.

Place a wok over high heat, add the vegetable oil and pork and cook for 2 minutes each side until caramelised. Remove from the heat. Place the pork and soy sauce mixture in a zip lock bag, squeeze out the excess air and seal. Place the zip lock bag in a steamer basket and steam over a low heat for 2 hours until tender.

Serve with steamed rice, steamed Asian greens, Chinese pickles and chilli sauce.

Note
• Yellow rock sugar is available from Asian grocers; substitute granulated white sugar if unavailable.

• Shaoxing is Chinese cooking wine; substitute with dry sherry if unavailable.

Photographs by Alan Benson

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.