Aromatic Lotus Leaf Boiled Pork Belly
How to Boil Delicious Pork Belly with Lotus Leaves, Including Tips to Reduce Soaking Time for Blood Removal
Hello everyone, it’s Sun! A while ago, I bought fresh lotus leaves and made lotus leaf rice. Then, I wondered what else I could make with the leftover leaves, and I thought, ‘Aha! Lotus Leaf Boiled Pork Belly!’ This method is much simpler than the traditional way of boiling pork belly with soybean paste, green onions, onions, bay leaves, and soju, and it’s infused with the subtle fragrance of lotus leaves. I’ll also share a great tip to speed up the blood removal process. Shall we get started?
Ingredients- Pork belly for boiling (front leg, belly, neck – choose according to your preference)
- Cleaned fresh lotus leaves
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the pork for boiling and fresh lotus leaves. I chose the front leg for a tender texture, but the rich belly or flavorful neck also work wonderfully. Feel free to select based on your preference.
Step 2
A crucial step that determines the taste of boiled pork is removing the blood. The most basic method is to soak the meat in cold water for about 30 minutes. If you’re short on time, adding a little sugar or cola to the water can shorten the blood removal time to 10-15 minutes. However, be mindful that soaking the meat for too long in water to remove blood can lead to a loss of juices, resulting in tougher meat and less flavor. It’s important to adhere to an appropriate soaking time.
Step 3
I was curious if sugar truly shortens the blood removal time, so I conducted an experiment! On the left, the pork was soaked in plain water, and on the right, it was soaked in water with one spoonful of sugar. After about 10 minutes, the water with sugar became significantly cloudier. This experiment confirmed that water with sugar removes blood more effectively! Now, you can make delicious boiled pork without worrying about blood removal.
Step 4
Once the pork has been thoroughly drained of blood, prepare it. Now, wash the fresh lotus leaves thoroughly under running water and pat them dry. Spread them out, place the blood-removed pork on top, and lightly season with salt and pepper. This step will allow the subtle aroma of the lotus leaves to gently permeate the meat.
Step 5
Carefully wrap the seasoned pork with the prepared lotus leaves, rolling it up snugly. Ensuring the lotus leaves completely encase the meat will help retain the juices during boiling, keeping the pork moist.
Step 6
Since the piece of pork was quite thick, I placed it in a steamer and steamed it over medium heat for about 50 minutes. Remember to check the water level in the steamer periodically to ensure it doesn’t run dry. The steaming time can be adjusted based on the thickness of the meat. When a skewer inserted into the meat comes out with clear juices, it’s perfectly cooked.
Step 7
Wow, doesn’t it look delicious? Infused with the subtle fragrance of lotus leaves, this lotus leaf boiled pork belly is free of any gamey odor, wonderfully clean, and has a delightful tenderness with the excess fat removed. It’s fantastic to be able to enjoy such a superb dish at home so easily!
