Steamed Kou Rou with Rice and Green Garlic
Kou Rou is a uniquely Guangxi dish, and despite its strange name (which Google translates to "Buckle Meat") is very tasty. Every time I purchase pork belly, I set aside at least 2 or 3 pounds to make kou rou. It is very simple to make. First, the pork belly is simmered in boiling water with wine, star anise, ginger, green onions until it is so tender you can push a chop stick through it. Then it is covered with dark soy sauce and deep-fried in oil for a few minutes until the outside is a nice golden brown. You can store it in the refrigerator, or freeze it for a long time. For a quick lunch I cook some white rice, slice some kou rou and green garlic from my container garden, and steam them together while the rice is cooking. Place the steamed pork and garlic on some white rice, and, if you want, flavor it with a bit of dark soy sauce or light soy sauce.
Equipment
- 1 wok with steamer rack or double boiler
- 1 steamer
- 1 rice cooker or saucepan with lid
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 slices Kou Rou (slice thin, like bacon)
- 1 green garlic
- ½ cup cooked white rice
Seasonings:
- 3-4 drops light soy sauce (optional, use light or dark, sparingly)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Slice the kou rou into thin slices, about the thickness of a piece of bacon.6 to 8 slices Kou Rou
- Wash, peel, and chop the green garlic.1 green garlic
Steam the pork and green garlic
- Pour some potable water in your pan and place your steamer over this. (If using a double boiler, pour about 1 inch of water into the bottom pan and set the steamer pan over this.) Place the sliced pork and green garlic together in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to low.6 to 8 slices Kou Rou, 1 green garlic
Making "Classic Rice"
- While the pork is steaming, measure about 1 ⅓ cup uncooked, long-grain white rice into a sauce pan.
- Soak the rice with water from the tap, or clean water if your tap water is not potable.
- Pour the rice into a kitchen strainer, then back into the pan. Add more water.
- Repeat the rinsing until the water runs clear. This removes the excess starch from the rice.
- Cover the rinsed rice with about 1 inch of water.
- Place the pan, uncovered, on a burner and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Continue to heat the rice over high heat until the water disappears and small dimples appear in the wet rice.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low, place the lid on the pan, and cook for 10 minutes.
Serve
- When the rice is ready, fluff it with a fork or chopsticks. Spoon some into a bowl, and top with the steamed pork and green garlic. Optionally, season with a few drops of soy sauce to taste.½ cup cooked white rice, 3-4 drops light soy sauce
Notes
- For best results when cooking white rice, do not follow the instructions on the package. Instead, use Grace Young's "Classic Rice" recipe, outlined above. This will yield "al dente" rice that is not sticky or mushy.
- If you cannot find green garlic in your local grocery, it is easy to grow your own. All you need is a container or plant pot, some potting soil, and occasional watering. If you plant new cloves periodically, you will have a steady supply of fresh green garlic for cooking.
- When using a double boiler, I wrap the pork and garlic in aluminum foil. This heats it and returns the pork drippings, and it keeps the steamer pan from getting greasy, making cleanup easier.
Nutrition
Calories: 712kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 14gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 11IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
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