Sichuan Pork and Vegetables Over Sizzling Crispy Rice (Guoba Roupian, 锅巴肉片)
The Mala MarketIngredients
For the Crispy Rice
- 1 cup (200 grams) cooled leftover (pre-cooked) white rice
- ½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)
For the Pork
- 7 ounces (200 grams) lean pork (such as loin)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Stir-Fry
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 small handful dried wood ear mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½- inch knob of ginger, peeled
- 1 whole scallion
- 2 Sichuan pickled chilies (see note)
- 2 asparagus spears
- ½ medium carrot
- 1 small handful tender greens, such as choy sum, baby bok choy or pea shoots
- 3 tablespoons black vinegar (preferably Baoning)
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (preferably Zhongba)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon msg (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup (250ml) low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
Instructions
Prepare the Rice
- Spread the rice on a baking sheet between two sheets of parchment paper and press it into a thin, even layer (about ½ cm thick) using a small rolling pin or the back of a spoon. Remove the top sheet of parchment and bake the rice at 350ºF (175ºC) for 40-45 minutes, until it is dry and the edges are lightly golden. Break it into pieces that will fit your frying pan. (You can bake the rice up to a day ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.)
Prepare the Pork
- Cut the pork into thin slices, about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water, then mix in the Shaoxing wine and salt. Marinate the meat in this slurry for 10 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
Prepare the Stir-Fry Ingredients
- Soak the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes, until they have softened, then drain. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice their caps. Tear any particularly large wood ear mushrooms into smaller pieces.
- Thinly slice the garlic and ginger. Divide the scallion whites and light green parts from the dark green parts and cut scallion whites (and light greens), pickled chilies and green asparagus into slices about 1-inch thick, cutting at a diagonal to give them a diamond shape. Thinly slice the carrot then trim the slices into diamonds. If using, choy sum, chop it into bite-sized pieces; if using pea shoots or other tender greens, leave them whole.
- Combine the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, salt and msg (if using) in a small bowl and mix until the sauce is well combined and the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the starch with 2 teaspoons of water until well combined.
Cook and Assemble the Dish
- Heat the ½ cup frying oil in a small pot over medium-low heat (to warm it up for frying later).
- While the oil is warming, set a wok on the other side of the stove and heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high until it is hot but not yet smoking. Add the pork and stir-fry until just cooked through, 2-3 minutes, then remove it from the wok and set it aside, leaving the remaining oil in the wok.
- Add the ginger, garlic, pickled chilies and scallion whites to the wok and stir-fry them until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook the mixture for 1–2 minutes, until slightly softened. Pour the prepared sauce mix into the wok and stir everything well, then add the stock (or water) to deglaze, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom and sides. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook everything for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Return the pork to the wok and stir, then add the asparagus and then the greens and stir everything together.
- Give the starch slurry a final stir, then add it to the wok and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Turn the heat under the wok as low as possible , and cover the wok with a lid to keep everything warm.
- Increase the heat under the small pot and bring the oil to about 410ºF (210ºC). (If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, check the temperature by adding a very small piece of the baked rice cracker to the pot; the oil is ready when it puffs up and floats quickly.) Carefully add half the rice crackers and deep-fry them until they are puffed and golden, about 2 minutes; repeat with the rest of the crackers. Transfer the fried crackers to a large serving plate. While the crackers are still hot, pour the warm pork mixture directly over them to create the dish’s signature sizzle. Garnish with the scallion greens.
Notes
You can buy Sichuan pickled chilies already prepared, or you can make your own (starting with dried er jing tiao chilies) by following Taylor’s instructions here.