Dish of Pork Belly with Fuzzy Melon
(click to enlarge)

Pork Belly with Fuzzy Melon


China
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 w/rice
***
1-3/4 hrs
Yes		 A bit much for just two? Trust me, you're not going to want less. This is really good. If you want a little less rich, see our recipe Pork with Fuzzy Melon.

14
-------
1
1/2
1
-------
3/8
1
-------
3/4
2
1/2
1
----
1
1
1
1
1
oz
---
t
T
t
---
oz
#
---
in
T
t
t
---
T
T
T
c
t
Pork Belly (1)
-- Marinade
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce (2)
Rice Wine (3)
--------
Scallops, Dried (4)
Fuzzy Melon (5)
-- Seasonings
Ginger root
Rice Wine (3)
Chili Garlic (6)
Sesame Oil
--------
Cornstarch
Water
Oil
Stock (7)
Salt
Prep   (1-1/4 hrs - 35 min work)
  1. Slice PORK BELLY thin and mince very small.
  2. Mix all Marinade items and Massage into Pork. Set aside to marinate for 1/2 hour or more.
  3. Soak SCALLOPS in warm water to cover for about 1 hour (for small ones). Drain and crush into threads. I use the drained water as part of the Stock - it has a lot of the flavor.
  4. Scrape the FUZZY MELON with the back side of your prep knife to remove the very thin dark green peel. Cut lengthwise into quarters and cut into bite sized wedges with alternating diagonal cuts.
  5. Slice GINGER very thin and cut slices into thin slivers. Mix together Scallop threads, Ginger slivers and all Seasoning items.
  6. Mix Cornstarch and 1 T Water to make a slurry.
RUN   (30 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil and stir in Fuzzy Melon. Fry stirring over high heat until you see a little browning. Remove and set aside.
  2. Stir Pork into the pan and fry stirring over high flame until it has completely lost its raw color and you see a trace of browning. Watch the fond that sticks to the pan, reddish is OK, but if it tends to chocolate, go to the next step immediately.
  3. Stir in Seasoning mix and crushed Scallops. Continue stirring another minute.
  4. Stir in Fuzzy Melon, then Stock and Salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until Fuzzy Melon is tender. This can take from 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Stir up Cornstarch slurry and stir it in until it thickens the stew.
  6. Serve hot with plenty of steamed long grain rice.
NOTES:

  1. Pork Belly:

      If this seems a little rich for you, it is not - no other pork cut would be the same - and the "low fat diet" has been pretty much discredited anyway. Fresh pork belly is available in just about any Asian market.

  2. Oyster Sauce:

      A standard Chinese sauce also used in Southeast Asia for dishes in the Chinese style. Quality varies widely. My current favorite is Megachef (Thai), but it isn't as widely available as Lee Kum Kee Premium, which is also very good - very Chinese looking bottle, but made in Los Angeles. Yes, these are more expensive, but for a reasons - much higher oyster content, unleaded and no melamine.

  3. Rice Wine:

      Use a good, drinkable Chinese rice wine, not that horrid salted "cooking" version. If you don't have this, use a Dry Sherry. Sake is made from rice but is not considered a good substitute. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.

  4. Dried Scallops:

      What? You don't have Dried Scallops? OK, use 2 T Dried Shrimp then - not the same, but . . . Dried Scallops are found in markets serving a Chinese community. They range from a little expensive to outrageously expensive depending on size. They are often used with Fuzzy Melon.

  5. Fuzzy Melon:

      [Mo Qua] Actually a gourd, this is the immature form of the giant Ash Gourd or Winter Melon. For details see our Fuzzy Melon page.

  6. Chili Garlic Sauce:

      Huy Fong Foods (Green cap) is available nearly everywhere, and just as widely respected.

  7. Stock:

      Chicken or Pork stock will work fine. Note that for this recipe I use the Scallop soaking liquid as part of the stock.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
cmm_pigfuzm1 160803 var   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@clovegarden.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page permitted