Napa Cabbage Pork Belly Stew(大白菜炖五花肉)

Tender pork belly and soft Napa cabbage simmered in a savory, flavorful broth — a comforting classic of Chinese home cooking.

Ingredients

Napa cabbage - 1-2 lb
Pork belly - 1 lb

Ginger - 4-5 slices

Green onion - 1 stalk

Garlic - a few

Star anise - 1

Soy sauce - 1 TBSP

Dark soy sauce - 1 TBSP

Oyster sauce - 1 TBSP

Chinese five spice powder - 1 tsp

Optional: sticky rice cake, rice noodle, or Korean glass noodle 

Steps

1. Clean, dry and slices pork belly. In a frying pan, add some oil and then lay the pork belly to pan fry at middle heat until brown on both sides.

2. Add green onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, sir fry until fragrant.

3. Add napa cabbage, stir fry for a minute, then add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, five spice powder. 

4. Add water to cover all ingredients; bring stew to boiling; then turn to low heat to simmer.

5. Optional: you can some rice noodle, or sticky rice cake

Braised Wintermelon (家常烧冬瓜)

Wintermelon has a mild flavor and a soft, tender texture when fully cooked. It easily absorbs sauces, making it perfect for simple braised dishes like this one.

Ingredients

Wintermelon - about 2 pounds

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Salt - as needed

Chicken broth or water - 1 cup

Optional additions: minced garlic, oyster sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, or chopped green onions for garnish

Steps

1. Peel off the tough green skin and cut the melon into roughly 2x2-inch cubes. On the flesh side, carefully score a “#” pattern about halfway through the melon’s thickness—do not cut all the way through.

2.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the melon pieces skin side down and pan-fry until the bottom is golden brown

3.Add water or chicken broth and soy sauce to the pan. Cover and simmer gently until the melon becomes soft enough to pierce easily with a chopstick and has absorbed the sauce flavor (about 10–15 minutes).

4. Spoon the melon and sauce in serving bowl and enjoy warm.

Teriyaki Chicken without Teriyaki sauce

 If you don’t have bottled teriyaki sauce on hand, you can easily make this dish using basic seasonings.

Ingredients

Chicken legs or thighs - 2

Ground black pepper - 1 TBSP

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - a few slices

Cooking wine - 1 TBSP

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Dark soy sauce - 1/2 TBSP

Honey - 1 TBSP

Garlic - a few cloves, peeled

Water - 2 TBSP

Steps

1. Trim the bones from the chicken legs if desired. Season with salt, black pepper, and slices of ginger. Let sit for at least 5 minutes (longer if possible).

2. In a small bowl, mix together cooking wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, and water. Stir well.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add ginger slices and garlic cloves, then reduce to medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in the pan and fry until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes.

4. Pour in the prepared sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce thickens slightly.

4. Slice the chicken, spoon the sauce over top, and serve with steamed rice and vegetables on the side.

Stir Fry Carved Squid(爆炒鱿鱼花)

A simple home dish. 

Ingredients

Squid carved - 1 lb bag, defrost if frozen

Red bell pepper - 1, cut in pieces

Green bell pepper - 1, cut in pieces

Onion - 1, sliced

Garlic - 5 cloves, sliced

Ginger - a few slices

Oyster sauce - 1 TBSP

Cooking wine - 1 TBSP

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Sugar - to taste

White pepper power - to taste

Dark soy sauce - to taste

Red chili pepper - optional to taste

Steps

1. Mix in a small bowl oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper power, sugar, set sauce aside.

2. In a pot with boiling water, blanch the squid pieces.

3. In a frying pan, heat up oil, put in garlic, onion, ginger until fragrant; Add squid pieces, cooking wine, stir fry for a couple of minutes; then add peppers, and pour in the mixed sauce, stir fry until cooked.

Shanghai Smoked Fish （上海熏鱼）

Shanghai Smoked Fish (Shanghai Xun Yu, 上海熏鱼) may be fried, but it's definitely not smoked. This is a simplified home recipe using air fryer from a friend. 

Ingredients

Fish - 2-3 lb, cut into 3/4 inch thick cross-section (carp, tilapia or similar)
[Marinade Sauce]
Shaoxing wine - 4 TBSP
Ground white pepper - 1 tsp
Ground ginger powder - 1 tsp

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Dark soy sauce - 1 TBSP

[Topping Sauce]

Water - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 4 slices

Star anise - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1
Bay leaves - 2

Chinese five spices powder - 1/2 tsp

ground white pepper - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 2 TBSP

Chinese dark vinegar - 1.5 tsp

Steps

1. Wash and clean the fish pieces, mix the fish and all of the marinade ingredients. Let the fish marinate overnight in the refrigerator. 

2. Spread the fish on a cooking tray to dry out slightly, or pat dry with a paper towel. Spray the pieces thoroughly with cooking oil, or dip the pieces in a bowl of oil. 

3. Set air fryer to 400F, cook the fish pieces for 12 minutes, turn, and cook another 10 minutes. Cook longer if needed until it is as crispy as you like.

4. Put all ingredients for topping sauce, except the vinegar, in a pot, bring to boil for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add vinegar. Once it’s done, scoop out all the solid spices with a slotted spoon.

5. Put the hot fish directly into the prepared sauce. Ensure all of the pieces are totally coated. The golden brown crust on the fish will soak up the sauce and flavor the fish. You can serve hot right away, or let the fish soak in the sauce for a few hours before serving cold.

Korean Kalbi (韩式炖牛排骨)

This is a Korean style short rib (Kalbi) from this YouTube. I cooked it using a 6-qt Le Creuset Dutch oven. 

Ingredients

Beef short ribs - about 4 lb 

[First seasoning]

Korean BBQ - 1 cup 

Soy sauce - 4 tsp

Mirin - 4 tsp 

Apple sauce - 2 cups 

Sesame oil -2 and 2/3 tbsp  

Sesame seed - 1/4 cup 

Dried date - 4

[Second seasoning]

Soy sauce - 4 tsp  

Salt - 1 tsp 

Black pepper - 1 TBSP

[Optional]

Veggies - Mushroom Carrots Pepper Cucumber Potato

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 275F.

2. Mix all the ingredients in first seasoning in a bowl and mix well

3. Arrange short ribs in a Dutch oven, and then pour in the sauce.

4. Close the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours.

5. Add the second seasoning, and any vegetables you want to cook.

6. Close the Dutch oven and bake for another hour.

7. Serve over rice or noodle.

Hakka Steamed Pork Belly (客家芋头扣肉)

My mother-in-law's recipe that she makes every time we visit. She has a much better presentation than my try.

Ingredients 

Pork Belly - 1 lb, sliced

Taro -  1 lb, sliced

Ground bean sauce (原晒豉) - 2 tsp
Fermented red bean curd (南乳,紅腐乳) - 2-3 cubes

Dark soy sauce - 2 tsp

Chinese five spice powder - 2 tsp 

Shallot - 1-2, finely chopped 

 Steps

1. Pan fried the pork belly slices and the taro slightly

2. Mix all other ingredients together into a sauce; marinate pork belly and taro pieces with sauce for 1+ hour.

3. Arrange the pieces in a bowl and steam high for one and half hours.

One-Pan Pasta

This is a popular recipe from Martha Stewart. It is quick and easy weekday night dinner. 

Ingredients 

Linguine or spaghetti pasta - 12 oz 

Cherry tomatoes  - 12 oz , halved

Onion - 1, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 

Garlic - 4 cloves, thinly sliced 

Red-pepper flakes - ½ tsp

Fresh basil - 2 sprigs, plus torn leaves for garnish 

Extra-virgin olive oil - 2 TBSP, plus more for serving 

Coarse salt - 2 tsp

Freshly ground pepper - 1/4 tsp

Water - 4 ½ cups 

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving 

Steps 

1. Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, salt, pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. 

2. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9-12 minutes.

3. Divide into pasta bowls. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

Instant Pot Braised Beef with Radish(红烧牛腩)

This is another common Chinese dish that every family does it a little differently. I followed this recipe. 

Ingredients

Beef rough flank (牛腩) - 3 to 3 ½ lbs., cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
Vegetable oil - 2 TBSP
Ginger - 8 slices
Shaoxing wine - 1 cup
Soy sauce  - 3 TBSP
Dark soy sauce - 1 TBSP
Oyster sauce - 1 TBSP
Star anise - 3 pieces
Cinnamon stick - 1
Bay leaves - 3 pieces

Cloves - 5

Sichuan peppercorn - 10-15
Rock sugar - 2 TBSP

Daikon radish - 2 lbs., peeled and cut into 1-½ inch pieces

chicken stock or water - ¼ cup , mixed with 2 tsp cornstarch

Salt (to taste)
Optional garnish: 2 scallions (cut on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces)

Steps

1. Soak beef pieces in cold water for 30 minutes to remove blood, then rinse off and set aside. 

2. Fill cooking pot with cold water, add beef, 1/2 cup cooking wine and 4 slices of ginger. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook the beef for 1 minute to remove any impurities. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef to rinse and set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in your Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Add the rest of the ginger slices, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and slightly crisped at the edges. Add the blanched beef and all ingredients.

4. Seal the Instant Pot, and turn on the meat/stew for 45 minutes. Once finished, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. 

5. Once the Instant Pot is safe to open, open it and add the radish chunks. Stir to combine with the beef. Replace the lid, seal the Instant Pot, and put it back on manual high pressure for 10 minutes. Once done, allow the pressure to release again using Quick Pressure Release this time.

6. Open the pot when safe. Turn on the Sauté setting and bring the stew to a simmer. Mix together chicken stock or water and cornstarch into a slurry and stir into the stew to thicken. Simmer for 2 minutes, season with salt to taste, and stir in the scallions.

7. Serve with rice or noodle.

Braised Pork Belly Square - Dong Po Style(东坡肉)

DongPo Pork is a well known dish from Huangzhou, where I went to high school. It was named in honor of Dongpo Su, a famous poet from Song dynasty.

Ingredients

Pork belly - 2 lb.

Cooking wine - 2 TBSP + 1/3 cup
Soy sauce - 4 TBSP
Dark soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Rock sugar - 4 TBSP

Ginger - 10-12 slices

Green onion - 2 stalks

Dried date - 6-8 (optional)

Steps

1. Put pork belly in sauce pot with cold water, 2 TBSP cooking wine, cook for 4-5 minutes.

2. Cut the pork belly in 2x2 inch square, and pan fry the pork belly at medium low heat until brown on all 4 sides (not top and bottom)

3.  Tie each piece with twine. This is to prevent the meet from breaking apart during cooking. It is also for the signature look of this dish. 

4. Add 4 TBSP rock cany and 5 TBSP water in a sauce pan, use low heat to melt and caramelize it until light brown.

6. Layer the bottom of a cast iron pot with ginger slices, green onion and date. Place the pork belly squares in with skin facing down. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar water, cooking wine, and then enough warm water to cover the meat.

7. Cover and cook at medium high heat for 30 minutes. Then open and flip the pork belly squares. Cover and cook in low heat for another 45 minutes or until the chopstick can poke into meat easily. Open the cover, turn to high heat to reduce the sauce, 

8. Serve warm with rice or noodle.