EZCR#38 - BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH DRIED CARROT STRIPS

I had this dish at a village restaurant [operated by local villages] on top of the hill in Longyan, China which is quite similar to Braised Mui Choy with Pork Belly.  This dish tasted very good with the use of dried carrot strips instead of mui choy.   

So when I saw the dried carrot strips sold by the villagers outside the restaurant, I bought some from them.  It costs about RM 10 per 1/2 kg.  In China, 1 kati is only 500 gm and not like 600 gm in Malaysia.  However, 500 gm of this dried carrot strips is quite a lot.  It is not salty and has the natural sweetness of the carrots.

Ingredients

300 gm pork belly - cut bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic – chopped

3 shallots – chopped
150 gm dried carrot strips - soaked until plump up and squeezed dry

Seasoning

1 tsp salt and pepper

2 tsp sugar, dark soy sauce and sesame seed oil

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 cup water or enough to cover ingredients

1. Heat a non-stick wok without oil, pan fry pork belly pieces with brown and oil oozes out.  Push aside, using the oil from the pork belly, sauté chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant and slightly brown.
2. Add in the dried carrot strips, stir to combine ingredients.
3. Add in the seasoning and continue to fry for several minutes on medium heat. Add in water, bring to boil then lower heat to simmer.  Cover wok while simmering.  
4. Add in more water if gravy has dry up but meat is not tender yet.
5. Continue to cook until meat is tender and sauce almost dry.
6. Dish up, garnish with spring onions to serve.