Pan Soy Pork & Rum: Awesome foursome

 

Happy new year folks.

I wish all  you lovely souls and myself a great, virus-free year ahead wrapped in happiness and warmth. Let us not forget what these difficult times have taught us, and pray for the  path ahead to usher in peace for all breathing and living creatures of this lovely planet, only if we remember our lessons.

Now back to the job. I am goig to talk about Pork today, probably the first in this blog, and I pleadge o talk about it more often this year. Well in the routine of my humble middleclass Bengali household, Pork was not a thing to be mentioned. Not beacuse the taste was hated ( I mean who would hate that heavenly melt in mouth meat & my folks didnt know the taste) but mostly because of prejudice. I can take the credit of introducing the famiy to this umami, which they now have happily accepted as a part of household. While the parents happily chomp on cold cuts mostly: bacon generously used in pasta and noodles, ham in sandwiches, pork belly and meat is only for my friends and moi. Guess, there has to be a limit till which one must push the envelope, with parents.

As I have mentoned time and again, I am no recipe developer (talent and hardwork is never my forte' you see). I took the recipe from Doma Wang's video (please check out her fuss free recipe on youtube), and made it into my own with minor changes. I plan to introduce one more ingrediant in the winters, and will update it here soonest. I promise. That's all! and here's how I do mine, let's look at teh ingredients, shall we:

1. 300 gm pork belly without skin, is what I buy (bigger chunk is better, because we are treating it like a roast).

2.  The supporting ingredients for the dish are mentioned in here :chop up 2 onions into slices,+ +  about 50gms of ginger grated ( i do not bother to peel the skin) + 3- 4 green chillies slit + 2 bay leaves + 2 star anise+ 75ml dark soy + 45 ml dark rum + 1/2 tbsp pepper powder + 1/2 tbsp szechuan pepper powder+ 1 tbsp of whole peppercorn+ few drops of toasted seaseme oil + salt.

3. Take a non-stick pan and sprinkle 2tbsp of regular sugar crystals on it, and on medium low flame allow it to caramelise. ( do not stir them with a spoon, you are only allowed to swirl. And yes patience is the key, do not take your eyes off it)

4. As it turns dark amber, place the pork chunk, fat side down and revere in the sound of sizzle. in no time the bottom dawns in a caramelised brown colour, edges urning crisper. It's a sign for the other ingredients to amke it's way into the pan.

5. I take the pan off the hob, place in everything mentioned except the toasted seaseme oil. And 1 coffee mug full of water. Plonk the lid, and cook it undisturbed for 40-45 mins, on medium low flame. 

6. Once done, take the pan off the heat. Take the glistening piece of varnished meat out of the braising liquid. Strain the liquid ( do not press it down the strain, you might collect the undesirable bitter undertones). Allow the meat to cool. Slice it and place it on the plate. sprinkle in some spring onions and a spoon over some of teh strained braising liquid.

7. I sprinkle some toasted seaseme seed, if i have it in my larder and serve it to my guests.

Now uptil this its absolutely fine. No complaints at all. trust me your guests would offer to kiss your manicured and waxed hands, if you have it. Well, I nt, so I let the food do the talking, afterall that's what I offer on my table atleast ( no pun intended).

Since I lack in both these beauty forms of sustainence, my tanned hands do a bit more of work to amke up for the missing birt. May I add this bit is teh best and signature part and men or women often cry with the burst of pleasure in their mouth . The steps are as follows:

Heat the same pan and place the slices of the meat in the pan. In the meanwhile chop up some capsicum and onions into chunks. As the fat oozes out of the meat slices, take out most of the fat from the pan and keep aside leaving scanty in the pan.  It's time for you to grate in a fat clove of garlic directly into the pan, followed by the chunky veggies and a few slit green chillies. Toss well to combine. Add in a generous spoonful of the soy-rum braising liquid. And you are done!! ( Even though i keep cooking this I am sorry I do not have any decent images yet. Someday soon hopefully I will have one to show you.)

Till then, be good, to yourself and others around you. Flash a smile at a stranger who seems to have a difficult day. Be safe, be strong and keep a good heart. s

See you soon!!