Sichuan Style Upside Down Steamed Pork Belly

Step 1

Prepare two bowls -- a steaming bowl and a presentation bowl. It's a good idea to practice flipping them (wearing your oven mitts) at this point.

Step 2

Mix the marinade and set aside.

Step 3

In a covered non-stick pan, dry sear the pork (rind side down) over medium heat until the rind is gold brown with charred spots and blisters.

Step 4

Add filtered water to pan until the seared pork is just covered. Boil the pork belly for 40 minutes.

Step 5

Add oil to wok over high heat.

Step 6

Add first the fermented mustard greens, then the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir constantly for about 1 minute or untill the moisture is visibly reduced.

Step 7

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Step 8

When the pork has finished boiling, pat it dry with a paper towel.

Step 9

[Optional] Brush the rind with honey and return it to a dry pan over medium heat, rind-side down. This will not change the flavor much, but will add color.

Step 10

Starting from the rind, slice the pork belly into half-centimeter strips.

Step 11

Arrange the pork belly slices in a tight stack and place the rind-side down into the steaming bowl.

Step 12

Pour the marinade over the pork belly slices.

Step 13

Cover the pork belly with the greens, lightly packing them in around and over the pork, forming a flat surface at the top of the bowl (or as near it as possible).

Step 14

Heat a large amount of water to boiling, and add the steaming bowl to the pot. Cover the pot and steam for 2 hours. Check periodically to make sure the water doesn't dry out during steaming.

Step 15

When the pork is fully steamed, remove it from the pot. Cover the steaming bowl with the plating bowl and flip the pork belly (as practiced), so the pork belly finishes rind-side up for presentation.