From Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Red-Braised Pork (Hong Shao Rou)
Reconstructed
Serve when
Serve it deep into the banquet, glossy and dark — the rich, slow-cooked heart of a Sunday table that keeps setting itself long after the family has begun to scatter.
In the movie
Theatrical
- Among the lavish braised and glazed dishes of Chu's weekly banquet — the kind of long-cooked, deeply savory plate that defines a Chinese master's home table.
Ingredients
Steps
- Blanch the pork belly in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and pat dry.
- In a heavy pot, melt the sugar in the oil over medium heat until amber — watch it closely. Add the pork and toss to coat in the caramel.
- Add the ginger, scallions, star anise, and cinnamon and stir until fragrant.
- Pour in both soy sauces and the Shaoxing wine, then add hot water to just cover.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise gently for 1½ hours, until the pork is meltingly tender. Uncover and reduce the sauce to a dark, glossy glaze.
- Serve over steamed rice, the sauce spooned generously on top.
In the movie
The banquet dishes get richer and more elaborate as the film goes on, even as the family grows more distant — Chu answering estrangement with ever-greater feats of cooking. A lacquered, slow-braised pork like this is exactly the sort of dish that takes half a day of love to make and ten silent minutes to eat.