Mei Cai Kou Rou

Alternative names	Mei cai pork; preserved vegetable pork belly; Hakka kou rou
Pinyin	Méicài kòuròu
Type	Braised pork belly
Course	Main
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Guangdong (Hakka / Dongjiang)
Other	Hakka classic of braised pork belly steamed over preserved mustard greens

Mei Cai Kou Rou (Simplified/Traditional Chinese: 梅菜扣肉; Pinyin: Méicài kòuròu) is a Hakka (Dongjiang) specialty of thick pork-belly slices braised or fried then steamed over salt-preserved mustard greens (mei cai), so fat renders into the greens. It is named among traditional Dongjiang dishes on Guangdong Food.

Characteristics

Pork is soft and richly savory; mei cai is salty-aromatic and cuts the richness. The plate is usually inverted out of the steaming bowl so greens crown the meat.

Ingredients (overview)

Pork belly, mei cai (preserved mustard greens), soy sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, ginger, garlic, and oil. Exact sweetness and salt levels vary by Hakka kitchen.

History and culture

A signature of Hakka / Dongjiang cooking listed on Guangdong Food beside Salt Baked Chicken. Related "kou rou" steamed-belly forms appear across southern China, but mei cai pairing is the Hakka hallmark.

Serving and variations

Banquet or family main with rice. See Guangdong Food and Salt Baked Chicken.

References

English Wikipedia