
Updated post on 10-4-2016
Usually with extra gravy available, I will use it to braised mei cai or mui choy like what my mum did. Please scroll down for simple instructions.
INTRODUCTION
I have a few pig trotters recipe as follows in the blog and I am contemplating if I want to issue another recipe of pig trotter.
Braised Nam Yu Pork Trotters With Lotus Roots and Peanuts (南乳花生莲藕猪手)
Black Sweet Vinegar Pig Trotter Made Easy..
Stewed Meat With Fermented Soya Bean – Babi Pongteh (娘惹豆瓣酱燜蹄膀)
After due consideration, I should blog this very basic pig trotters recipe that I have been eating since very young. In fact, my late mum only cooked this simple version with mushrooms. It will appeared once in a while in the dinning table . Then, to secure pig trotter need reservation with the butchers a few days in advance. Therefore, this dish is not a common dish at all.
i have tasted my relatives and neighbour’s version and it is basically the same though some may added chestnuts. Unlike other families, chestnut is never a welcoming item in my house. Even for rice dumplings, we don’t put chestnuts as well. Of course for the recipe, readers can just put some chestnuts.
I have use the short cut method of pressure cooking the trotters for about 1/2 hours. After that, I transfer to a wok and to reduce the water volume until the gravy is thicker. If you do not have pressure cooker, you can easily braised it over the stoves.
WHAT IS REQUIRED
Servings: 4-6 adult servings
- 1 pork knuckle cut into big pieces (about 1-1.5 kg)
- 5 cm of ginger cut into thin slices
- 3 whole garlics
- 15 medium sized dried shitake mushrooms, soaked
- 15 chestnuts
- 1 bamboo shoot, cut into big pieces (optional)
- 5 dried chillies, soaked
- 6 eggs
Seasonings:
- 1 cup of Chinese cooking wine
- 1 cup of dark soya sauce
- 3 pieces of rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons of 5 spice powder
STEPS OF PREPARATION
- Hard boil the egg and shell the eggs, set aside.
- In a pot of hot boiling water, blanch the pork knuckles. Drain and wash with cold water. Cut into smaller pieces. Transfer the blanched pork knuckles to the pressure cooker pot, put in all the ingredients (rock sugar, whole garlic, ginger slices, mushrooms, chestnuts, bamboo shoots, dried chillies). Add in all the condiments (5 spice powder, dark soya sauces, sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine). Add some plain water. The amount of water should be able to cover at least 3/4 quarter of the pork knuckles. When the pork knuckles were cooked, the pork knuckles will shrink and emitting the meat juices. Therefore, do not have too much water, otherwise, the braising broth can become too watery.
- Use the pressure cooker to pressure cook the pork knuckles. Select the meat function, otherwise, let it cook for 20 minutes after pressure cooking starts (excluding the cooking time for boiling the water before the pressure cooking). Best let it sit in the pressure cooker for at least 30 minutes after the pressure cooking ends. This will let the meat have more time to absorb the soya sauce and spices.During the resting period, you can add in the hard boiled eggs.
- If there are too much gravy, transfer the contents of the pot to a wok, if the meat is already soft, take out the meat, simmer the gravy with mushrooms etc. until the gravy is thicker. Add back the meat before serving.
THE AFTERMATH
What to do with the extra gravy, beside cooking lor me, I like to use the extra gravy to braise mui choy or mei chai, a type of dried vegetables. There are two types of mei cai (梅菜), one is salty and one is sweet one. I like to use a mixture of both. This is a simple and straight forward and I did not add in any more seasonings to the braising as it is already flavourful comprises of meat juices and various type of soya sauce.
WHAT IS REQUIRED
- Some garlic cloves (at least more than 15 cloves depending on the gravy available)
- One bowl of mei cai (either sweet or salty or a combination of both)
- 2 pieces of ginger
- Other meat items available like roast pork or braised duck
- Some overnight gravy
STEPS OF PREAPRATION
- Cut the mei cai into small pieces. Soak in water for 15 minutes, drain and change water and soak for another 15 minutes. Drained and set aside
- Transfer the mei cai, overnight meat gravy or meat, ginger and garlic into a pressure cooker pot. Add adequate water just enough to cover the mei cai and the meat. Pressure cook for about 45 minutes until the mei cai is soft. You can also boil the gravy over the stoves. Adjust the taste by adding some seasonings if it is not tasty enough. Best to go with porridge or white rice.
CONCLUSION
I come from a humble family and i can say this recipe is very basic. Feel free to add the ingredients that you like. For us, we always prefer slightly sweet braised pork trotters. If you prefer savoury version, you can always put less sugar and have more soya sauce. What is stated in the recipe is rather conservative and you can always adjust then.
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