Braised Pork with Edamame

 Braised Pork with Edamame is a classic, comforting home-style Chinese dish. 

Tender, fatty pork is slow-braised with sweet, soft edamame, absorbing rich savory sauce.

 It is juicy, aromatic, and pairs perfectly with steamed rice, loved by all ages.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 400g pork belly (cubed)
• 200g fresh or frozen shelled edamame

Aromatics

• 3 slices ginger
• 2 scallions (tied into a bundle)
• 2 star anise
• 1 small piece cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)

Seasonings

• 1 tbsp cooking wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for color)
• 1 tsp rock sugar (or white sugar)
• Salt to taste
• A little cooking oil
• Hot water (enough to cover pork)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the pork belly

   Cut pork belly into 2–3 cm cubes. Rinse well.

   Bring a pot of cold water to boil, add pork cubes, 1 slice ginger and a little cooking wine.

   Blanch for 3–4 minutes to remove blood foam.

   Remove pork, rinse with warm water and drain thoroughly.
2. Sauté the pork

   Heat a small amount of oil in a pot or deep pan over medium heat.

   Add blanched pork cubes, stir-fry until slightly golden and some fat is rendered.
3. Add aromatics and seasonings

   Add ginger, garlic, star anise and cinnamon. Stir-fry briefly until fragrant.

   Pour in cooking wine, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir to coat pork evenly.

   Add rock sugar, stir until sugar melts.
4. Braise the pork

   Pour in enough hot water to fully cover the pork.

   Add the scallion bundle. Bring to a boil, then turn to low heat.

   Cover and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes, until pork is soft and tender.
5. Add edamame

   Add shelled edamame to the pot. Stir gently.

   Continue braising on low heat for 10–15 minutes, until edamame is soft and absorbs sauce.
6. Reduce sauce and finish

   Remove the scallion bundle and spices.

   Add a pinch of salt to taste.

   Turn to medium heat, stir occasionally to thicken the sauce until it coats the pork and edamame.

   Turn off heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Cooking Tips

1. Use hot water when braising to keep pork tender and not tough.
2. Low heat slow braising is key for melt-in-mouth pork.
3. Do not add edamame too early, to keep it bright green and intact.
4. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.
5. For a lighter version, skim excess fat from the surface before serving.

Low-Fat Three Fresh Vegetable Stir-Fry

 Low-Fat Three Fresh Vegetable Stir-Fry (Su San Xian) is a classic light, healthy Chinese home-style vegetarian dish. 

It uses three kinds of fresh seasonal vegetables as the main ingredients, with no heavy oil or strong seasonings, retaining the original fresh and sweet taste of vegetables.

 It is high in fiber, low in fat, nutritious and refreshing, very suitable for light meals and weight-management diets.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

100g fresh shiitake mushrooms

80g cucumber

80g carrot

Aromatics

2 garlic cloves (minced)

A small amount of chopped scallions

Seasonings

1 tsp light soy sauce

A pinch of salt

Half tsp white sugar (to enhance freshness)

A little white pepper powder

1 tsp cooking oil (very low amount)

A few drops of sesame oil (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients

   Wash shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems, and slice them evenly.

   Peel the carrot, cut into thin slices or thin strips.

   Wash the cucumber, remove the ends, and slice into thin pieces.

   Chop garlic and scallions, set aside.
2. Quick blanch (optional, for lower fat)

   Boil a small pot of clean water.

   Put carrot slices and shiitake mushroom slices into boiling water, blanch for 30 seconds, then remove and drain.

   This step reduces the amount of oil needed for stir-frying and keeps the dish lighter.
3. Stir-fry the base fragrance

   Heat a non-stick pan over low heat, add only 1 teaspoon of cooking oil.

   Add minced garlic and scallion whites, stir-fry gently for 10 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir-fry the three fresh vegetables

   First add blanched shiitake mushrooms and carrots, stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute.

   Then add cucumber slices, stir-fry quickly for 30–40 seconds.

   Do not stir-fry too long, to keep the cucumber crisp and tender.
5. Season lightly

   Add light soy sauce, a small pinch of salt, and half teaspoon of sugar.

   Add a little white pepper powder, stir all ingredients evenly.

   Keep the seasoning light, to highlight the natural sweetness of vegetables.
6. Finish and serve

   Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil if you want a richer aroma (can be omitted for lower fat).

   Stir once gently, then turn off the heat immediately.

   Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Cooking Tips

1. This is a super low-fat dish: use less oil, high-heat quick stir-fry, no heavy sauces.
2. Cucumber goes in last to keep its crisp texture and avoid turning soft.
3. Sugar is only for enhancing freshness, use a tiny amount and will not make the dish sweet.
4. You can adjust the three vegetables according to preference, such as replacing with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, or green peppers.
5. For an even lighter version, you can blanch all ingredients and toss with sauce, without stir-frying.