Chinese-style Braised Pork with Carrots

Tender pork pieces that fall apart with a fork, coated in a glossy, lacquered sauce. Carrots slowly candy in a broth scented with star anise.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 75 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 714
• Protein: 45 g
• Carbs: 20 g
• Fat: 50 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Pork shoulder blade ( in large 3cm cubes )
• 500 g Carrot ( in thick diagonal slices )
• 2 tbsp Peanut oil
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 2 piece star anise
• 2 piece Garlic ( crushed )
• 2 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse optional ( sliced for garnish )
• 20 g Fresh ginger ( peeled and minced )

Instructions

1. Searing the meat

   Heat oil in a heavy pot. Sear the pork cubes on all sides until they develop a beautiful golden and crispy crust.

2. Aromatics and glazing

   Add brown sugar to start glazing the meat. Toss in crushed garlic, fresh ginger, and star anise into the hot fat to release their fragrance.

3. Deglazing and simmering

   Pour in rice wine and soy sauce. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then add water until the meat is just covered. Cover.

4. Cooking the carrots

   After 45 minutes of simmering on low heat, add the carrots. Continue cooking until they are tender when pierced with a knife.

5. Reducing the sauce

   Remove the lid and increase the heat. Let the liquid reduce until it becomes syrupy and generously coats the back of a spoon.

Chef's tips

• Do not add extra salt: the soy sauce provides all the necessary salt as it reduces.
• If the sauce is too thin at the end, remove the meat and vegetables to reduce the liquid alone over high heat.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. The sauce will gelatinize due to the pork's collagen; it will liquefy again as soon as it starts to simmer during reheating.