BRAISED PORK TROTTERS WITH FERMENTED BEAN PASTE

23/2/2014

With my hands still hurting from the bite yesterday and the risk of getting it wet and infected, there is nothing much I can do.   Esther went for the IJN Marathon at Putrajaya and came home tired.
By evening  both of us were too lazy to go out for dinner.

So lucky to have this casserole of  Braised Pork Trotters which I cooked for the Chinese New Year in the fridge.

When I read the recipe from "Travelling foodies" I immediately bookmarked it and got to cook it  for the Chinese New Year season, just in case I needed to bring a dish for any gathering.   However, it has been sitting in the fridge since then and  finally I got to taste it last weekend only.   

Ingredients: Blanched pig trotters; sliced ginger and garlic, cane sugar, cinnamon and cloves, seasoning include: fermented beancurd mixed together with chinese cooking wine, light soya sauce and dark soya sauce (more for colour, which I omitted).

Saute the sliced garlic, ginger, cinnamon and cloves till fragrant

Add the blanched pig trotters and then the seasoning sauce and fry till combined. 

Add enough water to cover  the meat and the cane sugar and bring to a boil. 

Lower the heat and let simmer till pig trotters are soft.

If you intend to keep this for later consumption, just simmer for around 30 minutes.  Let it cool and keep in freezer till required.  Keeping the meat overnight help it to absorb more flavour. Bring back to simmer again till the meat are soft. 

   

I braised the pig trotters again for another hour before serving.  The meat is so flavourful, the skin so soft and gelatinous(?) with meat almost falling apart.
I blanched some mee sua and Chinese cabbage - foodstuffs bought for Chinese New Year- to serve with the braised pig trotters. Simply delicious.

It's the end of Chinese New Year celebration and tomorrow (1st March) is the 1st day of the 2nd lunar month.
Have a great weekend.