Radish Shred Pork Zha (Chinese Preserved Pork
Radish)
A traditional preserved delicacy featuring tender black-haired pork face and sun-dried radish shreds, mixed with roasted rice flour and fragrant spices.
Radish Shred Pork Zha is a deeply flavorful traditional preserved meat dish that utilizes rich cuts like pig face combined with earthy sun-dried radish shreds. The process involves simmering the meat until tender, infusing it with aromatic spices, and coating the ingredients in a toasted rice flour blend before tight jar-packing. High-proof white liquor is added to enhance the aroma and ensure proper preservation, creating a hearty and savory delicacy rooted in rural culinary heritage.
Ingredients
- 4.5 kg black-haired pig face
- 500 g sun-dried radish shreds
- 200 g raw rice
- 3 pieces black cardamom
- 4 pieces star anise
- 3 pieces bay leaves
- to taste fennel seeds
- to taste Sichuan pepper powder
- to taste chili powder
- 100 ml high-proof white liquor
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 tbsp cooking wine
- 2 tbsp aged wine
Instructions
- 1Chop the pig face
Wash the whole black-haired pig face thoroughly and chop it into large, manageable pieces on a cutting board to prepare it for blanching and simmering.
Tip: Ensure the pig face is clean and free of any residual hairs before chopping. - 2Blanch the pork pieces
Place the chopped pork pieces into a pot filled with cold water, then add cooking wine and slices of ginger to help eliminate gamey odors while blanching.
Tip: Always start with cold water when blanching meat to draw out impurities effectively. - 3Transfer Blanched Pork to Clay Pot
Take the blanched pork pieces out of the boiling water, wash them clean, and place them directly into a clay pot.
Tip: Ensure the clay pot is clean and ready before transferring the hot meat. - 4Stir-fry rice and spices
Place raw rice, black cardamom, star anise, and bay leaves into a dry pan and stir-fry over heat until the ingredients turn slightly yellow and become fragrant.
Tip: Stir continuously during frying to ensure the rice colors evenly without burning. - 5Grind into rice flour
Transfer the fried rice and spice mixture into a grinder and process it into a coarse rice flour that does not need to be overly fine.
Tip: Keep the texture slightly coarse so it provides a better mouthfeel and structure in the final dish. - 6Prepare sun-dried radish shreds
Take the sun-dried radish shreds and gently tear them apart in a large bowl to separate them before mixing with seasonings and spices.
Tip: Tearing them apart ensures they absorb the seasonings uniformly. - 7Season the Radish Shreds
Add star anise, black cardamom, fennel, Sichuan pepper powder, chili powder to preference, and the freshly ground rice flour into the prepared sun-dried radish shreds.
Tip: Mix the dry spices and rice flour evenly over the shreds for balanced flavor. - 8Mix with Cooled Broth
Pour the cooled broth from boiling the meat over the radish and spice mixture, then thoroughly combine everything by hand.
Tip: Make sure the broth is completely cooled before mixing to avoid cooking the ingredients prematurely. - 9Cut the Cooked Pork
Once the cooked pork has cooled down after being boiled until tender, slice and cut it into small, manageable pieces.
Tip: Let the pork cool fully before cutting to keep the pieces firm and easy to slice. - 10Add White Liquor to Pork
Pour high-proof white liquor over the cut pork pieces in a large bowl, then add the previously prepared radish shred seasoning and mix everything together thoroughly.
Tip: High-proof white liquor helps preserve the meat and enhances the traditional aroma.
