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Mei Cai Kou Rou (Steamed Pork Belly/梅菜扣肉)
5 from 22 votes

Mei Cai Kou Rou (Steamed Pork Belly/梅菜扣肉)

Mei Cai Kou Rou is a rich steamed pork belly dish featuring tender slices of slowly simmered pork belly marinated in a savory mix of dark soy, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine. The pork is paired with Mei Cai, a preserved vegetable soaked and rinsed to balance saltiness, then stir-fried with aromatics, star anise, and chili to build complex flavors. This combination yields a deeply flavored, aromatic dish with a tender texture ideal as a main course alongside steamed rice.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 50 mins
Marinate & soak
2 hrs
Total Time
5 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the pork belly
  • 1.2 lb pork belly a skin-on block
  • 2 talks scallions cut in halves
  • 6 lices ginger
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce plus a little for rubbing
  • ½ tablespoon soy sauce light
  • ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper
For the Mei Cai
  • 7 oz Mei Cai or half of the amount if using the dried one (see note 1, ready-to-use
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • 1 piece star anise
  • 1 piece cassia cinnamon aka cassia cinnamon, or Chinese cinnamon
  • 4 dried chilies optional
  • 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper
  • 1 cup water or unsalted chicken stock, hot
  • soy sauce to taste (see note 2, light

Instructions

Prepare the pork belly
    Cup of Yum
  1. Put the block of pork belly into a small pot. Fill with water just enough to cover the meat. Add scallions and ginger. Bring the water to a boil then turn the heat down to the lowest. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 45 minutes.
  2. Turn off the heat. Let the meat sit in the pot for a further 30 minutes then take it out. While still hot, rub a good layer of dark soy sauce over the skin to darken it. Leave it to cool completely.
  3. Then cut the pork into slices (about ¼ inch/0.7cm thick). Put them into a bowl, along with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar and white pepper. Leave to marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
Prepare the Mei Cai
  1. Rinse Mei Cai very well under running water to remove surface salt and any dirt. Then leave it to soak in water for 1 hour. Taste a bit to check the saltiness. Extend the soaking time if it’s too salty. Rinse again then squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop it into small pieces.
  2. Heat oil in a wok/skillet. Briefly fry minced garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and dried chili (if using). Add the chopped Mei Cai, along with dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil and a cup of water (or stock).
  3. Cover and braise for about 5 minutes before you taste the saltiness. Add a little light soy sauce if necessary (it’s fine to be a little on the salty side at this stage).
Steam the dish
  1. In a large deep bowl, place the pork belly slices one by one in a domino pattern, with the skin facing down. Fill the sides with a few pieces too. Put any remaining pieces over (and the marinade too). Top the bowl with the braised Mei Cai, along with all the liquid.
  2. Put the bowl into a steamer basket (or over a steamer rack). Bring the water in the pot/wok to a full boil then turn the heat to medium-low. Leave to steam for 2 hours. Make sure to check the water level every half an hour and top up when necessary.
  3. Carefully take the bowl out. Cover it tightly with a serving plate. Hold the bowl against the plate tightly (using protective gloves to avoid burning) then quickly flip over so that the content in the bowl lands on the plate. Serve warm with steamed rice.
Make ahead
  1. Prepare a big batch of pork belly (simmered & marinated) and Mei Cai (braised) at a time. Freeze them in portions. Defrost then assemble and steam a bowlful any time you wish.

Notes

  • Use either ready-to-eat or dried Mei Cai; soak dried Mei Cai well to reduce saltiness and rehydrate it before cooking.
  • Taste the soaked Mei Cai before adding soy sauce to adjust seasoning appropriately as salt levels vary among products.
  • Marinate the pork belly slices for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to enhance flavor penetration.
  • Simmer the pork gently and allow it to rest in the cooking liquid for better tenderness before slicing.