Mui choy kau yoke 梅菜扣肉 | Hakka pork belly with preserved vegetables

The uses of mui choy in a Chinese kitchen are manifold. At its simplest, it can be simmered in water to produce a vegetarian broth. It can also be used in stir-fries, as a stuffing for buns, or incorporated into steamed meat patties. These days, however, preserved vegetables are no longer as central to the diet as they once were, and are more likely to show up as a condiment with porridge, rather than be the star of a meal.
The one dish where it truly takes centrestage in is mui choy kau yoke, one of the most well-known and beloved Hakka dishes. The Hakkas are known for incorporating preserved vegetables into their dishes, and the cuisine involves stewing and braising for long durations to further enhance the flavours. Though some cooks choose to braise everything in a single pot, the traditional method of preparing this dish is to cook the pork belly and mui choy separately, and arrange them in a bowl before steaming.
The pork is then layered in a bowl before being topped with muichoy, and steamed until tender. By slow-cooking in an upside-down manner, where the meat is at the bottom and the mui choy is on top, the flavours of the mui choy trickle down and are absorbed by the meat.
Then comes what is probably the most exciting part of the process - the unveiling. This step is where the dish earns the word ‘kau’ 扣 in its name; it means to turn upside down, referring to the way the dish is inverted onto a plate to serve.
I’m hoping that this dish makes it onto your table (even if it’s not for Chinese New Year), as it really is such an underrated gem that more people should be cooking and enjoying!
Recipe via: sgpnoodles.substack.com/p/mui-...
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[@nest4babe]

Very detailed explanation. Happy to see traditional recipes being passed on. Keep up the good work!

[@sgpnoodles]

Thank you so much!

[@ketobear]

You're back!!!

[@sgpnoodles]

Hehe I'm thinking of reviving this channel soon!! Thanks for the enthusiasm!