Braised Pork Feet with Bean Curd

Flavor: Fish-flavored; Cooking method: Braising; Time required: One hour; Difficulty: Moderate.

Detailed Steps for Cooking Braised Pork Feet with Bean Curd

Ingredients (Pork feet cleaned and chopped)

Cut the bean curd into sections, rinse with water, and drain. (The bean curd should be slightly moist and ready for frying.)

Preheat the wok with oil and fry the bean curd until both sides turn golden brown. Do not over-fry.

Prepare a plate of clean water and soak the fried bean curd thoroughly.

Preheat the wok without water or oil, add the pork feet and stir-fry until the meat shrinks and the blood water is gone. (This method produces more flavorful pork feet than using hot water to remove the blood water.)

Remove the pork feet and wash the wok.

Preheat the wok with oil and stir-fry the flattened ginger until golden brown. (It is said that ginger skin is beneficial to the body, so it is retained.)

Add the pork feet and stir-fry until the oil comes out, then add the rice wine and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add the seasoning and stir-fry. (I only used one-quarter of the brown sugar.)

Add the bean curd and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then add water. The water should be just enough to cover the pork feet. I used a lot of bean curd (because my son likes it), so I added more water.

Mash the fermented bean curd with a little water using a spatula and cook together. (It can also be omitted, but the flavor is better with it.)

As I was in a hurry, I used a pressure cooker. After the pressure was released, I cooked it on high heat for another 6-8 minutes, then turned off the heat and waited for 15 minutes before releasing the pressure and opening the lid to prevent the pork feet from becoming too soft and losing their texture. There was a bit too much sauce, so I reduced it over high heat. (If using a clay pot, the water should cover the pork feet, then bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 40 minutes.)

This is a large pot of food, enough for two meals. (You can add green onions or scallions when reducing the sauce, if desired.)