Dish of Pork Stew with Carrots
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Pork Stew with Carrots


China - Sichuan
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 w/rice
**
1-3/4 hrs
Yes		 Surprisingly delicious! Quite mild chili heat. It could also be made with potatoes or daikon radish, but I prefer carrots. See also Serving.

1
14
-------
1-1/4
2
1
1
1/2
-------
3
2
3
1
1
-------
ar
#
oz
---
in

T

in
---
T
T
c
t
t
---

Pork (1)
Carrots
-- Aromatics
Ginger Root
Scallions
Chili Bean Paste (2)  
Star Anise
Cassia Barks (3)
---------
Oil
Rice Wine (4)
Stock (5)
Soy Sauce
Salt
-- Serve with
Steamed Rice
Prep   -   (25 min)
  1. Cut PORK into about 1-1/4 inch chunks.
  2. Peel CARROTS and roll cut into chunks about the same size as the pork pieces.
  3. Smack GINGER lightly with your kitchen mallet to break it up a bit. Smack the SCALLIONS, white parts only, to crush lightly. IF using traditional Pixan Chili Bean Sauce, chop it very fine. Mix all Aromatics items - see Spicing
RUN   -   (1-1/3 hrs)
  1. In a wok of spacious sauté pan, heat Oil until about 375°F/190°C over high heat. Stir in Pork and fry stirring until light golden.
  2. Splash Rice Wine over the pork, stirring until evaporated, then remove Pork with your spider and set aside.
  3. Over moderate heat, stir in Aromatics mix and fry stirring until Ginger shows a touch of golden.
  4. Stir the Pork back in along with Stock and Soy Sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook stirring until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes.
  5. Stir in Carrots, bring back to a simmer and continue to cook until Carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
  6. Serve hot with rice (see Serving).
NOTES:

  1. Pork

      Just about any cut of pork can be used. For a very rich version, Pork Belly can be used.

  2. Chili Broad Bean Paste:

      If at all possible, this should be Sichuan Chili Broad Bean Paste. If you just can't get it, you can use a Chili Soybean Paste. For details see our Fava Bean / Broad Bean Products page.

  3. Cassia Bark:

      This is what is sold as "Cinnamon" in North America, so you probably have it on hand, otherwise real Cinnamon can be used. For details see our Cinnamon / Cassia page.

  4. Rice Wine:

      Use a good drinkable Rice Wine, not that horrid salted "cooking wine". If you don't have it, use a dry Sherry. Sake is made of rice but not considered a good substitute, it's beer, not wine. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.

  5. Stock:

      Pork stock would be natural, but chicken stock could also be used - in Asia, stocks need not match the main ingredient.

  6. Spicing:

      The Cassia and Star Anise are usually tossed in whole, but for a stronger spicing grind in your spice grinder.

  7. Serving

      In China, the main dish is the rice, and some of the Stew is spooned over it. Here, the way I prefer is to serve the stew in a bowl, with a bowl of steamed Jasmine rice on the table to be spooned in as desired.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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