Savory Steamed Pork Belly with Sweet Mustard

1. Prepare the Preserved Mustard

Separate the stalks from the preserved mustard, open the leaves, and rinse them thoroughly four times to remove excess salt.

2. Simmer the Pork Belly

In a large pot, place the preserved mustard at the bottom, followed by the pork belly with the skin side down, and then add the sugarcane sugar. Pour in 2 quarts of water, bring the mixture to a boil, then add the mushroom soy sauce and Mei Kuei Lu Chiew. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot slightly to allow some steam to escape, and let it simmer for a total of 5 hours. For the first 3 hours, turn the pork belly every hour, ensuring even absorption of flavors. For the final 2 hours, keep the pork belly skin side up.

3. Cool and Refrigerate

Once the braising is complete, transfer the pork belly and mustard to a large plate and let them cool to room temperature. Refrigerate them for at least 8 hours or overnight. Don't forget to refrigerate the cooking liquid as well.

4. Prepare for Steaming

Cut the preserved mustard into 1/8-inch strips and arrange them neatly in a steamproof dish. Then, slice the pork belly into ½-inch slices and arrange these on top of the mustard. Spoon 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork and mustard to keep everything moist and flavorful during steaming.

5. Steam the Pork Belly

Place the steamproof dish into a steamer, cover it, and steam for 30 minutes.

6. Serve

Remove the dish from the steamer and serve the pork belly directly in the cooking dish.