braised hock

By tulawdog

Ingredients

• 1 small pork hock
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 8 slices ginger root
• 2 brown onions, cut into thin wedges
• 300 g vaccuum-packed slender bamboo shoots, rinsed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2/3 cup yellow rock sugar
• 2/3 cup rice wine
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 pieces dried mandarin peel
• 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

Step 1

To make the braised pork hock, first, heat about 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in a wok until hot, but not yet smoking. Pat the hock dry with a paper towel, then gently lower into the oil; it should start to sizzle immediately. Fry the hock on all sides on medium heat until the skin is nicely golden crisp all over. Drain thoroughly on a clean paper towel.

Cover the bottom of the slow cooker with the onions, bamboo, and garlic. Put the hock right on top, then add the sugar, liquids, and mandarin peel. Scatter on the scallions.

Cook on HIGH, covered, for 5~6 hours, flip the hock over, then cook on LOW for another 8 hours, covered.

Serve the hock whole in a large deep platter, with the vegetables and its sauce. (And of course lots of rice.)

If there happens to be leftovers, then discard the sauce and cool completely before refrigerating. To reheat, steam it with a sprinkling more of rice wine so the tender meat doesn’t dry out.