Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Flour (Fen Zheng Rou)
Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Flour (Fen Zheng Rou) is a home-style meat dish at difficulty 4/5 (Advanced), about 1606 kcal. Steamed Pork with Rice Flour is a classic Chinese steamed dish known for its ric. Ingredients and step-by-step instructions are below, with notes for home cooking.
4 / 5
★★★★☆
1606 kcal
Ingredients
- 500g Pork Belly (marbled with fat)
- 100g Steamed Meat Rice Flour (Guizhou-style) (recommended brands: Lee Kum Kee or homemade)
- 15ml Soy Sauce
- 10ml Dark Soy Sauce
- 15ml Cooking Wine
- 10g Pixian Bean Paste (optional)
- 10g Ginger, minced
- 10g Garlic, minced
- 5g White Sugar
- 300g Potatoes (or 300g Pumpkin, used as a bed layer)
- 2000ml Water (for the steamer)
Steps
- Wash the pork belly and cut it into strips approximately 5cm long, 3cm wide, and 0.5cm thick.
- Finely mince the ginger and garlic to a granular size not exceeding 1mm.
- Place the pork slices into a large bowl along with 15ml soy sauce, 10ml dark soy sauce, 15ml cooking wine, 10g Pixian bean paste, 10g ginger, 10g garlic, and 5g white sugar.
- Mix thoroughly with chopsticks, cover with cling film, and let marinate at room temperature (20°C - 25°C) for 30 minutes.
- After marinating, add 100g rice flour and toss for another 2 minutes to ensure every slice of meat is evenly coated.
- Peel the potatoes. Slice them to a thickness of 0.8cm; aim for pieces of approximately 5cm x 5cm in size, totaling 300g.
- Line the bottom of a 20cm deep bowl completely with potato slices, ensuring minimal overlap.
- Spread the pork evenly over the potato slices and press down firmly.
- Bring 2000ml of water to a boil in the steamer until steam is continuous (100°C).
- Place the prepared bowl into the steamer and cover with the lid.
- Steam over medium heat for 60 minutes (maintain a rolling boil; approximately 600W power).
- After 60 minutes, insert a chopstick into the center of the meat. If it goes in easily with no significant resistance, the meat is cooked.
- If the texture is not soft and meaty with visible oil rendering, continue steaming for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately.
Notes
Steamed Pork with Rice Flour is a classic Chinese steamed dish known for its rich aroma and soft, sticky texture. It is a kind of home-style cuisine widely enjoyed. Pork belly provides high-quality protein and fat, paired with root vegetables like potatoes for a balanced nutrition. This dish is suitable for those with some cooking experience; approximately 90 minutes are needed from preparation to completion.
Estimated Difficulty: ★★★★
Estimated Calories: 1606 kcal
Serving Calculation:
You need to determine how many portions you want to make before starting. One portion is sufficient for 3 people.
Per Serving:
- Pork Belly: 250g
- Rice Flour: 50g
- Soy Sauce: 7.5ml
- Dark Soy Sauce: 5ml
- Cooking Wine: 7.5ml
- Pixian Bean Paste: 5g (optional)
- Ginger: 5g
- Garlic: 5g
- White Sugar: 2.5g
- Potato or Pumpkin: 150g
- Steamer Water: 1000ml
Notes:
- **Homemade Rice Flour:** To make your own, take 150g rice and cook it in a pan over medium-low heat until it turns slightly yellow (about 8 minutes). Add 1g dried red chilies, 1g Sichuan peppercorns, and 0.5g star anise. Stir-fry until fragrant, then grind into powder in a blender and sieve for use.
- **Watering:** During steaming, if the water level in the pot drops below 1cm from the bottom, immediately add 500ml of hot water (above 90°C) to maintain adequate steam.