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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
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Serves
4 to 6
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Ingredients
- Pressure-cooked pig ears
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2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
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22 grams
(6 cloves) garlic, smashed
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1
Thai bird's eye chile, sliced lengthwise (optional)
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1/2
small yellow onion, sliced
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100 grams
shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced
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18 grams
ginger, sliced
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17 grams
cilantro, chopped
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50 grams
Chinese celery, chopped (regular celery works, too)
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20 grams
sweet white miso
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1 1/2 pounds
(3 large) pig ears
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1/4 cup
quality soy sauce
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1 tablespoon
mirin
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1 teaspoon
black vinegar
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1 1/2 cups
unsalted chicken or pork stock
- Wok-fried eggplant & fermented tofu sauce
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2 pounds
Chinese or Japanese eggplant, chopped into 2 1/2–inch pieces
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1 tablespoon
kosher salt, plus more to taste
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2 cups
canola oil
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2 tablespoons
peanut oil
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25 grams
(8 cloves) garlic, minced
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1/2 gram
small yellow onion, minced
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1
Thai bird's eye chile, sliced lengthwise
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12 grams
(1 tablespoon) ginger, minced
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1 tablespoon
Shaoxing wine
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55 grams
(2 tablespoons) fermented tofu curd—I use Sze Schuan brand
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55 grams
(2 tablespoons) soybean paste—I use Healthy Boy brand
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33 grams
(1 tablespoon) shrimp paste—I use Super brand
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1 teaspoon
granulated sugar
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15 grams
(1 tablespoon) palm sugar
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1/4 teaspoon
ground white pepper
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4 grams
(1 tablespoon) green Sichuan peppercorn
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3 grams
(1 tablespoon) coriander seeds
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1 gram
(1 pod) star anise
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1 gram
(1 teaspoon) ground urfa pepper
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1 tablespoon
peanut oil
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1 tablespoon
quality soy sauce
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2 teaspoons
black vinegar
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20 grams
(2 tablespoons) culantro (not cilantro!!), minced
Directions
- Pressure-cooked pig ears
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In an electric pressure cooker (such as the Instant Pot), heat vegetable oil on the "Sauté" function 1 minute. Add garlic, chile, onion, shiitake, ginger and sauté 5 minutes. Add cilantro, celery, and miso and mix thoroughly, sautéing another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off "Sauté" function.
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Add pig ears, soy sauce, mirin, and black vinegar, and stock and mix thoroughly. Switch to "Pressure Cook" function and cook on high pressure 1 hour.
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After 1 hour, natural-release the pressure completely, uncover, then turn on the "Sauté" function again. Let liquid reduce by half.
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Turn off pressure cooker and carefully remove pig ears from liquid. Let cool 5 minutes, scraping off excess ingredients. Mince and set aside for later.
- Wok-fried eggplant & fermented tofu sauce
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Prepare the eggplant: Sprinkle salt on eggplant and let sit 20 minutes. Press eggplant with paper towels to remove all excess water.
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Heat canola oil in a wok over high heat until oil temperature reaches 375°F. Reduce heat to medium. Add eggplant and fry until white flesh is nicely browned and purple exterior is crisp, roughly 5 to 8 minutes. Remove eggplant from oil and drain on paper towels.
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Remove excess oil from wok. Wipe dry with paper towels.
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Make the fermented tofu sauce: Heat peanut oil over medium heat until slick and shiny. Add garlic, onion, bird’s eye chile and ginger with a dash of salt. Reduce heat to low and sauté 15 minutes.
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Turn heat to high. Add minced, reserved pig ears to wok with a dash of salt. Cook 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with Shaoxing wine and reduce until nearly dry. Add tofu curd, soybean paste, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and white pepper and sauté another 3 minutes.
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Meanwhile, grind Sichuan peppercorn, coriander, star anise, and urfa pepper in spice grinder until coarsely ground. Add to pork mixture and cook 1 minute. Remove from wok and set aside until ready to assemble.
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To assemble the final dish, heat empty wok on high heat until smoking. This next part's a quick dance (you ready?): Add peanut oil and heat 1 minute. Add eggplant and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add soy sauce to edges of wok, letting it caramelize and cook with eggplant 30 seconds. Add fermented tofu sauce and stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes. Add black vinegar to edges of wok, letting it caramelize and cook with eggplant 30 seconds. Remove wok from heat. Stir in culantro and serve.
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