Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Radish

Name: Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Radish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 500 g / 1.1 lb pork belly; 180 g / 0.4 lb salted radish ((we get it from Asian supermarkets)); 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce ((or to taste)); 1/2 tbsp sugar ((or to taste)); 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder; 3 cloves garlic ((finely chopped)); 1 tsp sesame oil; 3 tbsp cooking oil

This is a melt-in-your-mouth Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Radish recipe that’s terrific for any emergency weeknight meal! You’ll only need one dish for everything to be cooked to perfection and it transforms into a silky rice companion with enough sauce to pour over every grain.

For similar recipe with a robust flavor kick that’ll excite the whole family, check out our Steamed Lemongrass Pork With Shrimp Paste!

A Cantonese comfort food like no other

My favorite types of recipes are the ones that require just a few ingredients, can be made in a single dish and taste like home. Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Radish ticks all of those boxes!

You may be familiar with Grandma’s deliciously simple emergency meals by now, like her Vietnamese Egg Meatloaf, Braised Chicken Wings or Honey Glazed Chicken. But if there’s any dish that can give a them a run for their money, it’s this one.

Here’s her secret: transform any meat into an ultra succulent mouthful smothered in its own oozing juices by steaming it for a full hour. It’ll get you every time.

It’s astonishingly failproof and you’ll end up with a self saucing chopstickful of heaven that’s wonderfully balanced by a light sweet and savory sauce.

Pair that with a steaming hot rice bowl soaking in that legendary sauce and you’ll be in for a treat!

Everything you need to know about salted radish

What is it

Store bought salted radish (菜脯) is made from preserving daikon in salt, sugar, oil and other flavor enhancers. Pronounced ‘choy bo’ in Cantonese, they can be found in Asian supermarkets in plastic packets or ceramic pots.

Taste

Both versions of the preserved daikon are notably salty, but the potted one is MUCH saltier than the packaged one. It’s important that when cooking with the latter, it goes through a thorough rinsing and washing process.

Their texture is crunchy to the bite yet springy enough to be classified as ‘soft’. When cooked with other ingredients, they have a salty and sweet flavor that works well with simpler dishes.

That’s why steaming them in this recipe works perfectly!

Why this recipe works

All the ingredients are mixed, marinated and cooked together for the best infused flavor experience.
Steaming on high heat for an hour will ensure the meat is fall apart tender and self saucing.
Lightly seasoning the main ingredients means the dish stays true to the original taste.

What you’ll need

About the ingredients

We used packaged salted radish from our local Asian supermarket for this recipe rather than the ones in the ceramic pot because they’re less salty and easier to prepare. If that’s not available, using the potted ones will work just as well but will need to be soaked and washed more times.

How to make this recipe

Wash the radish in water 2-3 times, then drain and squeeze any excess liquid out.

Slice the vegetable roughly into 5mm (0.2″) thick strips.

Dice the meat into 1cm x 2 cm (0.4″ x 0.8″) pieces.

Note: Try to make sure each piece has a layer of skin, fat and meat.

Put the pork belly in a steam-safe dish and mix in the garlic, light soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, oil and sesame oil.

Mix in the salted daikon until coated in sauce.

Set up the steamer on high heat and when it boils, place the dish in the center to steam for 1 hour.

Serve hot immediately!

FAQs

How do you choose a pork belly?

When grocery shopping with Grandma, her tip has always been this: choose the cut with less fat but is closer to the bone for a more tender piece of meat.

Why is my meat tough?

Ideally, the ingredients are all cooked on high heat to ensure that they soften completely. If you leave it on a high heat for a shorter period of time, you’ll end up with tougher pieces.
Alternatively, if you prefer a crunchy bite to the meat, steam it for 10-15 minutes until it is just cooked through, as you would with Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨).

Tips for the best results

Wash and soak the salted radish thoroughly. While the earthy and savory flavors add depth to this dish, they can be overly salty if not prepared well.
Cut the meat into smaller pieces. Smaller chunks means the heat will cook everything thoroughly for a softer mouth-feel experience.
Use a thin (preferably metal) dish. The high temperature from the steaming will transfer to the ingredients faster, meaning they’ll cook sooner.

More warm and cozy dishes

Hong Kong Style Baked Pork Chop Rice (焗豬扒飯) – You won’t find anything more comforting than warm, bubbly cheese with a thick layer of sauce over pork and rice.
Braised Chicken with Mushrooms, Black Fungus and Lily Flowers (金針雞) – Pure earthy flavors, Grandma’s Cantonese-style side dish adds savory depth to every meal.
Chinese Steamed Egg (蒸水蛋) – Silky, simple and light, this classic is a must have recipe in every family recipe book.
Steamed Pork Mince with Salted Fish (咸鱼蒸肉饼) – Another one dish wonder, you’ll love how all the ingredients are perfectly balanced in a meat patty.

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