Leave a comment below through October 9, 2016 to be entered into the GIVEAWAY for a free copy of the award winning cookbook “Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking” AND a free Anolon Nouvelle Copper/Stainless Steel Covered Stir-Fry pan.
Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important celebration after Chinese New Year in the Chinese holiday calendar. Family members gather for a feast and enjoy the harvest moon. This year the holiday falls on September 15, and in partnership with publisher Clarkson Potter and Anolon Cookware, I am giving away a copy of Chef Kian Lam Kho’s award winning cookbook “Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking.” It’s a perfect book for you to learn how to properly cook authentic Chinese food.
I had the pleasure of tasting Chef Kian’s wonderful cooking at a private event sponsored by Cook’nScribble earlier this year. Not only is Kian a food writer, cooking teacher and food consultant in Chinese cuisine, he is the creator of the the Chinese home cooking blog Red Cook. His first cookbook, Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees, was the recipient of the Julia Child First Book Award from IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). Among the dishes Kian prepared at the event I attended was Red Cooked Chicken, a traditional method of slow cooking chicken in a concoction of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and aromatics. For this giveaway I decided to make his family recipe for Red Cooked Pork, which I discovered has the unique (and very appealing) additional step of caramelizing the sugar first, then browning unctuous chunks of pork belly in the caramel before braising. Say no more.
In addition to winning a copy of Kian’s book, the lucky winner will ALSO receive a new Anolon Copper and Stainless 12.5-inch Covered Stir Fry pan, which is the perfect vessel for preparing the recipe below for Red Cooked Pork. Its deep shape is ideal for stir frying, with a sturdy handle for moving between cooktops and oven, and its copper, aluminum and magnetized stainless steel base delivers optimum heat control and performance on all cooktops, including induction.
Let the celebrations begin!
UPDATE: Congratulations to Jennifer Anne Keefer, who is the winner of the drawing and giveaway!
Red-Cooked Pork – Home Style
Reprinted with permission from “Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking” by author Kian Lam Kho and Photographer Jody Horton; Published by Clarkson Potter, Sept 2015.
Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course
1 1/2 pounds pork belly
2 tablespoons sugar
3 garlic cloves
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 whole star anise
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup Shoaxing cooking wine
1 1/2 cups pork stock, the liquid from parboiling, or water, plus more as needed.
Put the entire pork belly in a stockpot and add enough water to cover the meat completely. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium. Parboil the pork belly, uncovered, for 20 minutes, continuously skimming off the scum that forms on the surface. Drain, and let the pork belly cool. Then cut it into pieces about 1 1/2 inches square.
Combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water in a wok over medium heat. Continue heating until the sugar syrup just begins to turn yellow. Add the cubed pork belly to the wok and brown it with the caramelized sugar, stirring the meat regularly to prevent burning. If you like, cover the wok with a splatter guard to prevent the fat from splattering.
Add the garlic, scallions, star anise, both soy sauces, wine, and stock to the wok. Bring the liquid to a boil, then transfer the contents to a clay pot or Dutch oven. (Alternatively, this dish can be cooked in a slow cooker.) Simmer, covered, over low heat, stirring the meat every 15 minutes to prevent scorching the pork on the bottom, for 1 hour or until the meat is tender when pierced with a knife.
Remove the meat and put it in a bowl. Reduce the sauce over medium-high heat until it reaches the desired consistency. Return the meat to the pot and reheat before serving.
To be entered into the giveaway for a free copy of “Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking” AND a free Analon Nouvelle Copper/Stainless Steel Covered Stir-Fry pan, please leave a comment below with a valid email link through October 9, 2016 (your email address will not be visible on the website). One lucky winner will be chosen via random drawing and contacted via email drawing on October 10, 2016 to receive both prizes. So sorry, but only readers with U.S. addresses are eligible for the giveaway.
Disclosure: The cookbooks for the giveaway are sponsored by Clarkson Potter. The stir fry pan used in the post and provided for the giveaway is sponsored by Anolon.
Beautiful cookbook, and great recipe to showcase it…
I don’t have much luck with giveaways, but well… maybe this will be the day! 😉
I have always wanted to know how to cook pork belly, looks amazing! Would love to win a beautiful Chinese cookbook.
Red Cooked Pork Belly Recipe plus a Cookbook and Stir Fry Pan…my husband will be so happy with all the new creations presented at the table.
Sounds absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the giveaway.
Sounds delicious! I love pork belly
I would love to try this. Hope it is not too sweet.
Gorgeous cookbook and this recipe is on the top of my “have-to-make-it” list. Can’t wait!
I would love to win a wok — I just use a fry pan and a wok would be so much more efficient! Love the cookbook as well!
JenniferAnne74 @ aol.com
Congratulations Jennifer Anne – you are the winner in the drawing! I will email you more info. – Cheers, Lynda
Can’t wait to try this recipe
Red Cooked Pork Belly isn’t a dish I’ve had before but your recipe sounds delicious as does the cookbook, thanks for this chance to win
Traditional Chinese food is delicious and I’d love to learn to make different dishes that my family would certainly enjoy. Thanks for the chance to win the book and frying pan.
Looks fantastic! I’ll try this recipe soon. A special wok/pan would make this much easier and fun to cook! Yum!
Mention pork belly to my husband and he gets a big grin on his face. This sounds like a delicious recipe that I know he would love.
I would love to win. I love Chinese recipes
What a wonderful giveaway prize. I’m sure the recipes are just as wonderful.
My mouth is watering (oh no, drool on keyboard again!)
Looks like a beautiful book, a delicious recipe and the perfect vessel in which to cook!
This recipe sounds amazing.
dlatany at gmail dot com
Just started cooking with pork belly. This recipe sounds so mouthwatering. What better way to execute this recipe than the cookware you are showcasing.
That looks so delicious- I have never tried cooking pork belly! starla.bates AT yahoo.com
Cooking Pork Belly is on my culinary Bucket List. This recipe looks amazing!
This really looks like a fantastic recipe. Love the photography and your recipes and comments are very interesting. I’d love to win this also.
This reminds of a good dish to be enjoyed for fall. When I served this to a friend who previous had not enjoyed pork belly she had ordered at a restaurant, she was impressed.
Looks delicious! I’m excited to try recipes from Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees.
my gosh… a giveaway!! thank you first for thinking of us and for sharing the op. I’ve not cooked Pork Belly as I don’t eat Pork but I am still thrilled at the chance to win. I wish every one the best on this.
I’ve never cooked pork belly and I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted it, but wow that looks delicious. Just from reading the ingredients I could almost smell the aroma!
Yummy! I would love love love to win this prize and add the recipes to my own foodblog!