Salt and pepper pork chops (Cantonese-style)
Velveting the pork makes the meat moist and tender. Frying twice, first over medium heat and a second time over high heat, gives the pork the crispiest crust.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
Pork
- 4 pork chops boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon rock salt or ½ teaspoon refined salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch, divided
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ¼ cup Shao xing rice wine
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
- cooking oil for deep frying
Garnish
- 2 finger chilies thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
- rock salt
- coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the pork
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes.
- Mix together the salt, pepper, two tablespoons starch and baking soda. Add to the pork and toss to coat all pieces.
- Add the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shao xing rice wine and sesame seed oil. Mix well.
- Place the pork in a covered container and keep in the fridge overnight.
Fry the pork
- Add the remaining starch to the pork and toss to distribute evenly.
- In a wok or frying pan, heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of at least three inches.
- Fry the pork over medium heat, separating them with tongs or chopsticks just until the crust is lightly golden.
- Scoop out the pork and spread on a rack.
- Turn up the heat to high and fry the pork a second time until the crust is crisp.
- Scoop out the pork and spread on a rack once more.
Finish the dish
- Toss the chili and garlic slices with the starch and deep fry just until lightly crisp.
- Serve with vinegar (optionally with chili flakes and more coarsely ground black pepper) for dipping.
