Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Braised Pork Knuckle with Red Fermented Beancurd
南乳炆豬手
Recipe overview
Braised pork knuckle with red fermented beancurd is a classic Hong Kong home dish with a rich, savoury sauce that goes well with steamed rice. The pork knuckle is first blanched to remove impurities, then slowly braised with red fermented beancurd, ginger, garlic and seasoning until tender. The method is not difficult, but helpers need to watch the heat and water level carefully.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- about 900g to 1kg Pork knuckle,
- 3 cubes Red fermented beancurd,
- 2 tbsp Red fermented beancurd sauce,
- 5 slices Ginger,
- 4 cloves Garlic,
- Spring onion, optional
- Small piece rock sugar, optional
- about 700ml to 900ml Water,
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil,
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce,
- 1 tsp for colour Dark soy sauce,
- 1 tbsp, optional Shaoxing wine,
- 1 tsp Sugar,
- a little only at the end if needed Salt,
02
Tools
- Deep wok or heavy pot
- Chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- Ladle
- Tongs or chopsticks
- Tongs or chopsticks
- Colander
- 2 large bowls
- White serving dish
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare ingredients
Prepare all ingredients including pork knuckle, red fermented beancurd, ginger, garlic, spring onion and seasonings.
Step 2
Blanch pork knuckle
Blanch the pork knuckle in cold water, bring to a boil, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes to remove blood and impurities.
Step 3
Rinse and drain pork
Remove the pork, rinse away foam under clean water, and drain well.
Step 4
Mix red beancurd sauce
Mash the red fermented beancurd and mix with beancurd sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and Shaoxing wine.
Step 5
Saute ginger and garlic
Heat a little oil in a deep wok and saute ginger and garlic over medium heat.
Step 6
Brown pork knuckle
Add the pork knuckle and stir-fry briefly until the surface looks slightly dry and fragrant.
Step 7
Add sauce and water
Pour in the red beancurd sauce, mix well, then add water until it reaches about 70 to 80 percent of the pork height.
Step 8
Braise with lid
Bring to a boil, turn to low heat, cover and braise for 45 to 60 minutes.
Step 9
Turn pork pieces
Turn the pork pieces gently every 15 minutes to prevent sticking and uneven colour.
Step 10
Reduce sauce
When the pork starts to become tender, uncover and simmer over medium-low heat to reduce the sauce slightly.
Step 11
Check tenderness
Check tenderness with chopsticks. If the skin and meat can be pierced easily, taste and add a little salt only if needed.
Step 12
Serve braised pork
Transfer the pork knuckle and sauce to a white serving dish and serve hot with rice.
Common mistakes
- Skipping blanching can leave smell and impurities.
- Not mashing the red fermented beancurd makes the flavour uneven.
- Using high heat for too long can break the skin and burn the bottom.
- Too little water may dry out the dish before the pork is tender.
- Reducing the sauce too early leaves the pork tough.
- Adding too much salt is easy because red fermented beancurd is already salty.
Tips
For the first time cooking this in an employer's home, keep the seasoning slightly lighter and ask Ma'am or Sir to taste near the end. Braise until the pork is tender, but stir gently so the skin does not break. Check the water level during cooking and add a little hot water if it becomes too dry.
