This delectable deep-fried pork recipe from Beyond The Great Wall cookbook by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid is a dish served in the town of Chong’an at Guizhou, China at funeral ceremony. The Chinese funeral ritual also included offerings of whole roasted pigs and many other food. The food is then being served to the guests.
I found this deep-fried pork quite addicting especially when I dipped it into the Tribal Pepper-Salt and squirted some lime juice on it..yumm….I couldn’t stop eating them. This recipe is a simple version of the deep-fried pork being served in China. The meat is usually cooked on the bone and in larger pieces. They were then cut up after cooking. This dish is great as part of a meal, or as a snack or appetizer with drink.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless pork butt or loin or fresh ham
- 1 tsp salt
- BATTER:
- 3/4 cup rice flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- About 1/2 cup luke warm water , or as needed
- Peanut oil or lard , for deep-frying (2 to 4 cups)
- ACCOMPANIMENTS:
- 3 Tbsp Tribal Pepper Salt
- 2 limes , cut into wedges
Instructions
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About an hour before you wish to serve the meal, cut the pork into slices about 3/4-inch thick, then cut into approximately 1-inch squares. Place in a wide bowl, sprinkle on the 1 tsp salt, and mix with your hands or a spoon to distribute the salt. Cover and set aside for at least 45 minutes to marinate
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Place the rice flour and the 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the lukewarm water to make a loose batter and continue stirring until the batter is very smooth. Set aside
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Set up your deep-frying arrangement: Place a large wok or a large deep pot on the stovetop; make sure the wok or pot is stable (or use a deep-fryer). Pour 2 inches of oil into the wok or pot and heat the oil over high heat. Put out a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer. To check the temperature of the oil, hold a wooden chopstick vertically in the oil. If the oil bubbles up vigorously along the chopstick, it is hot enough. If the oil is smoking, it is too hot; lower the heat a little and wait a minute before retesting the temperature (A deep-fry thermometer should read about 350F)
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Stir the rice flour batter you've prepared earlier to make sure it is mixed well again (the flour tend to sit at the bottom after a while) Pick up several slices of pork, using chopsticks or your fingers, drage them through the batter, and slip them into the hot oil. Repeat several times, then use the slotted spoon or mesh skimmer to keep the pieces moving in the oil and to ensure that they stay separate. Cook until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes
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Use the spoon or skimmer to lift them out of the hot oil, pausing a moment to let them drain, then set on a platter. Repeat with the remaining meat and batter
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Serve warm with Tribal pepper-salt mixture and lime wedges
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