Traditional Mei Cai Kou Rou (Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens)

Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens (3)

Traditional Mei Cai Kou Rou (Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens)

This classic Mei Cai Kou Rou recipe uses skin-on pork belly and preserved mustard greens for a deeply savoury, melt-in-your-mouth dish. Boiled, fried, soaked, then steamed until tender, it’s a true Chinese banquet favorite and a must-save recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 40

Soaking Time 40

Servings

Calories 1056kcal

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

2000 g skin-on pork belly
150 g preserved mustard greens Mei Gan Cai

Ingredients for Boiling the Pork

3-4 scallions cut into large sections
5-6 slices ginger
3 tablespoons cooking wine

Sauce Ingredients

60 ml light soy sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 tsp salt

Other Ingredients

Cooking oil
Chopped scallions

Instructions

Step 1: Boil the Pork Belly

Wash the skin-on pork belly and cut it into four equal pieces. Place the pork into a pot with cold water, then add scallions, ginger, and cooking wine.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to medium heat and boil for about 15 minutes, until a chopstick can easily pierce through the skin.
Remove the pork and drain well. Reserve the cooking liquid. Pat the pork skin completely dry with kitchen paper, then use a toothpick to densely prick the skin. This step helps the skin blister properly during frying.

Step 2: Frying and Soaking the Pork

Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a wok until about 60% hot. Carefully add the dried pork belly pieces and immediately cover the wok with a lid to prevent oil splatter.
Fry until the crackling sound subsides, then uncover, turn the pork, and continue frying until lightly golden on all sides. Remove and drain.
Pour the reserved pork-boiling liquid into a container with the fried pork. Let it soak for 40 minutes. You will see the skin start to soften and form small bubbles.
After soaking, remove the pork and pat the skin dry again. Reheat the oil to a higher temperature (190°C/375°F). Fry only the skin side of the pork belly for 2-3 minutes until it is deeply golden, blistered, and wrinkled—this is the "tiger-skin." Drain well.

Step 3: Prepare the Preserved Mustard Greens and Sauce

Soak the preserved mustard greens in water for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly, then squeeze dry.
Heat a little oil in a wok, add chopped scallions, then add the mustard greens and sprinkle in part of the sugar. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until very fragrant. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, salt, sugar, and cooking wine. Stir until well mixed.

Step 4: Assemble and Steam

Slice the pork belly thinly.
Arrange the slices skin-side down neatly into a large bowl.
Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the pork, making sure every slice is coated.
Spread the stir-fried mustard greens on top and press gently.
Place the bowl into a steamer with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate to prevent condensation from dripping in. Steam over medium heat for 1 hour, until the pork is extremely tender.

Step 5: Invert and Serve

Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes. Place your serving plate firmly over the top of the bowl. In one confident motion, flip the plate and bowl over. Gently lift the bowl away to reveal the perfectly presented dish with the glossy, golden "tiger-skin" pork now on top. Serve immediately.

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