Chinese Preserved Pork Belly and Daikon Soup | Sybaritica

I am using some of my homemade Chinese Preserved Pork Belly and homemade Brine Pickled Daikon to make a simple soup. You can, if you wish substitute for these main ingredients using a Commercially Produced Preserved Pork Belly and fresh Daikon, but, in the latter case, you may wish to add a little vinegar when cooking the soup so as to add the correct acid balance to the sweetness of the cured meat…

These are the main ingredients for the soup showing the general method of cutting. The greens are daikon greens but these were not pickled, rather they happen to be some blanched and frozen ones I had on hand after putting up the pickles. You can substitute some spinach, or blanched kale. If desired.

The Ingredients

• ½ cup Preserved Pork Belly cut in short thick matchstick fashion;
• ½ cup Daikon (pickled or fresh), also cut in matchsticks;
• ¼ cup of Greens (Daikon preferred, pre-blanched if tough);
• 3 cups good quality Chicken Stock;
• 2 slices fresh Ginger;
• ½ tsp. Sugar;
• 2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine;
• ½ tsp. chopped salted chili (or substitute Sambal Oelek);
• ½ tsp. Sesame Oil.

The Method

Heat a bare tablespoon of oil in a pot over moderate heat and then sauté the pork and daikon for a minute or two until the pork fat is translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients and then turn the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 45 minutes, remove the ginger slices and serve. That’s it …

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