Classic hakka food is the preserved vegetables aka salted mustard vegetable with minced pork 梅菜肉饼. The secret of this dish is that the pork belly needs to be minced manually with a cleaver to get some chewy and light texture. Preserved vegetable is made of mustard green 芥菜, rape 油菜 or Chinese cabbage 白菜, that has been dried steamed and salted.

Ingredients

• 300 gr pork belly
• 100 gr preserved vegetables 梅菜
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• optional some Chinese cooking wine

First, wash the preserved vegetables and soak it for 10 minutes in lukewarm water. Do not soak too long, as you want the salty taste of the preserved vegetable. Mince the pork belly with a cleaver or big knife.

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Chop the preserved vegetables fine. Stir fry the preserved vegetable in a pan without oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and stir fry it for another 2 minutes. By stir frying the preserved vegetable, the taste of the vegetable will be stronger and more fragrant. Put the minced pork belly into a bowl and add the light and dark soy sauce, pepper, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Mix it well. Add gradually the water and mix till the minced meat has absorbed all the water. Finally, add the cornstarch and the roasted preserved vegetables. Put the meat mixture into a plate and steam it for 25 minutes. Best to serve the preserved vegetable minced pork with some rice.