Culture Tip

Shuizhu Rou Pian is a classic dish from Sichuan cuisine, now widely enjoyed across China. As the name suggests, this dish primarily uses the technique of boiling in water. The main ingredient is lean pork, paired with spicy seasonings and a variety of optional base ingredients.

Common base ingredients include Napa cabbage, bean sprouts, wheat greens, lettuce, tofu, dried tofu sheets, potatoes, and more. The finished dish is known for its vibrant red color, tender meat slices, and spicy, numbing broth.

It combines the flavors of numbing heat (Sichuan peppercorn), spiciness, freshness, and rich aroma, making it an irresistible delight that greatly enhances the appetite.

Ingredients

• Pork loin: 500 g
• Napa cabbage: 1 head
• Ginger: 5 slices
• Garlic: 5 cloves
• Dried chili peppers: as desired
• Sichuan peppercorns: 20 pieces
• Hotpot base: 1 block
• Chili flakes: 3 tablespoons
• Doubanjiang (fermented bean paste): 1 tablespoon
• Chili oil: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: as needed
• Light soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
• Dark soy sauce: ½ tablespoon
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG): ½ teaspoon
• Pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
• Rapeseed oil: 6 tablespoons
• Sesame oil: ½ tablespoon
• Oyster sauce: ½ tablespoon

Reference:

Want to know how to make Chinese noodle? see here.

Need more information about the sauces? see here.

Need more information about the seasonings? see here.

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork: Slice the pork loin into very thin slices to ensure it cooks quickly. Place the slices into a bowl, add a little cornstarch and water, and mix well. Then add salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper powder, and 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the vegetables and seasonings: Wash and cut the Napa cabbage into pieces. Slice the ginger and garlic; mince some of the garlic and cut the dried chili peppers into sections. Briefly soak the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns in water to prevent them from burning during cooking and to better release their aroma.
3. Stir-fry the Napa cabbage: Heat some oil in a pan, stir-fry the Napa cabbage until slightly softened, then season with salt and Monosodium glutamate (MSG). Transfer the cooked cabbage to a large serving bowl.
4. Sauté the spices:
   • Heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in the pan until it reaches 60% heat. Add the ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns, and sauté over low heat until fragrant.
   • Then, add 2 tablespoons of Doubanjiang and stir-fry over low heat until the oil turns red. Slow cooking is essential to extract the red color from the paste.
5. Prepare the broth: Add water to the pan, followed by the hotpot base, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, salt, and Monosodium glutamate (MSG). Bring the broth to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 3–4 minutes. Use a skimmer to remove the solid ingredients from the broth.
6. Cook the pork slices: Bring the broth back to a boil. Add the marinated pork slices and blanch them briefly, separating them with chopsticks to prevent sticking. Once cooked, transfer the pork slices to the bowl with the cabbage, adding an appropriate amount of broth.
7. Layer the toppings: Sprinkle minced garlic, then chili flakes, and finally some sections of dried chili peppers over the meat.
8. Finish with hot oil: Heat peanut oil in a pan until it starts smoking. Pour the hot oil evenly over the meat slices to release the aroma immediately.
9. Serve and enjoy the delightful fragrance and flavors! 😊