PORK: This way to serve pork as a cold dish is very popular in Chinese restaurants serving Sichuan or Shanghai style of cooking. it is very easy to duplicate at home.

PORK WITH GARLIC SAUCE: 蒜泥白肉



12 oz. to 1 lb. pork in one piece

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

2 stalks green onion

2 slices ginger


sauce:

1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. home-made or store-bought chilli oil



Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the pork, making sure meat is completely covered by the water. Add wine, ginger and green onion. Bring water mixture back to boil, reduce heat to medium, cover pot and cook pork for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

Use a sharp knife to slice pork into very thin slices. Mix sauce ingredients together with minced garlic in a serving bowl.

To serve, blanch pork slices in hot water, drain well; then arrange slices decoratively on a serving plate. Serve with sauce on the side as a dipping sauce. Or, if preferred, pour sauce over meat to serve.




HOME MADE HOT CHILLI OIL:




¼ to ½ cup dried hot peppers

½ cup cooking oil of choice


Put peppers into food processor with steel blade attach and process on and off a few times to chop to medium-fine texture. Remove to a heavy saucepan over medium-low to low heat to toast until dry.

In another saucepan, heat oil over high heat until very hot. Pour hot oil carefully into the toasted pepper. Let mixture stand until completely cooled. Pour oil mixture into a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate until needed.