Together with TasteVN go to the kitchen to discover 2 delicious and unique ways to make caramelized pork with straw mushrooms, adding rich flavor to your family meals. With very familiar ingredients and simple cooking methods, you can easily make 2 delicious braised dishes right away!
1. Caramelized Pork with Straw Mushrooms
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Caramelized Pork with Straw Mushrooms Serves 4
Pork belly 500 gr Straw mushrooms 300 gr Shallots 4 bulbs Green onions 4 stalks Chili 2 pieces Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices a little ( sugar/ salt/ ground pepper/ seasoning powder)
Ingredients Image
How to Make Caramelized Pork with Straw Mushrooms
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Prepare the Ingredients
Soak the straw mushrooms in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes, then rinse them gently. Drain in a colander to remove excess water, then use a knife to cut the large straw mushroom caps in half.
Note: Do not soak straw mushrooms in salt water for too long, a maximum of about 15 – 20 minutes; otherwise, the natural sweetness of the mushrooms will be lost, and they will not taste good.
Pork belly washed clean, cut into small bite-sized pieces with a knife.
Green onions, shallots, and chili washed clean, then chop finely with a knife.
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Marinate the meat and mushrooms
Put 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce into a bowl, and mix well to dissolve the seasonings.
Marinate the meat with 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and half of the mixed seasoning. Mix well to ensure the meat absorbs the seasoning evenly.
Marinate the mushrooms similarly with 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, adding the remaining seasoning mixture, and mix well.
Tip:
- Depending on your family’s taste, you can adjust the amount of seasoning accordingly.
- If you have time, you should marinate the meat for about 15 – 20 minutes to help the meat absorb the seasoning better.
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Meat Stew
Place a pan on the stove, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, stirring continuously over medium-low heat.
When the sugar dissolves and turns light brown, add all the chopped shallots and stir well, frying the shallots until fragrant. Increase the heat and add the marinated meat, stir-frying evenly for about 3 minutes to help the meat firm up, then add the straw mushrooms and continue to stir-fry.
Add enough water to just cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Stew for about 20 minutes until the water reduces and the meat is fully cooked, then add chopped green onions and chili, and turn off the heat.
Note:
- If you have ready-made caramel sauce, you can use it directly without needing to melt the sugar.
- When stewing, cook on low heat and occasionally stir to ensure the meat absorbs the seasoning evenly without burning.
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Final Product
The meat stew is rich and evenly infused with aromatic spices, served with tender straw mushrooms that still retain some crunch. The mix of sweet and salty creates a wonderful flavor for the dish.
This meat stew pairs perfectly with hot white rice!
2. Braised Pork with Straw Mushrooms and Tofu
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Pork with Straw Mushrooms and Tofu Serves 4
Pork belly 250 gr Straw mushrooms 200 gr White tofu 350 gr ( 1 piece) Chili pepper 1 piece ( sliced) Shallots 1 bulb ( minced) Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 50 ml Common spices a little ( sugar/ salt/ seasoning powder/ ground pepper)
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Tofu
- You should choose pieces of tofu that have a natural milky white color, not pure white or yellowish.
- Gently press with your hand; if the tofu feels soft, elastic, with a natural soybean aroma, and has a characteristic rich taste when eaten.
- Absolutely do not buy pieces of tofu that feel hard when pressed, lack elasticity, have a bitter taste, or emit an unpleasant smell due to containing a lot of gypsum.
How to prepare Braised Pork with Straw Mushrooms and Tofu
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Prepare and marinate the pork
Clean the pork, use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces and place them on a plate.
Marinate the pork with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 of the minced shallots, a little ground pepper, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and mix well. Let it rest for about 15 minutes to allow the meat to absorb the flavors.
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Prepare the other ingredients
The white tofu bought should be gently rinsed with water and drained. Use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Soak the straw mushrooms in diluted salt water for about 3 minutes, then remove and rinse clean, waiting to be cooked.
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Fried tofu
Place a pan of oil on the stove, heat it until the oil is hot, then drop the white tofu in and fry until golden brown, quickly removing it all.
How to fry tofu to keep it crispy longer
- You should use a soft cloth or paper towel to absorb excess moisture from the tofu before frying.
- Frying in deep oil helps the tofu become crispy; you should use chopsticks to touch the bottom of the pan. When you see small bubbles rising, you can drop all the tofu in to fry.
- When dropping the tofu in, fry on low heat until you see the tofu golden and light in color, then increase the heat. Stir evenly once and quickly remove it all, helping the tofu to be crispy and not absorb too much oil.
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Braised pork
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (reuse the oil from frying the tofu), and add 1 tablespoon of sugar, stirring continuously over low heat until the sugar dissolves and turns a brownish color. Add the remaining shallots to the pot to sauté until fragrant.
Add the marinated meat to the pot and stir evenly. When the meat is firm, add water to cover the meat completely.
Increase the heat until the water boils, then skim off the foam, gradually adding the straw mushrooms and tofu to the pot. Cook until the water comes back to a boil, then reduce the heat and braise for about 10 minutes.
At this point, you can adjust the seasoning to taste with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, continue braising for another 10 minutes on low heat before turning off the stove.
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Final Product
The braised meat is tender and delicious, with a salty-sweet flavor, rich and savory. The soft tofu paired with the crunchy straw mushrooms creates a contrast in taste that remarkably stimulates the palate.
When serving, place on a plate and sprinkle a little chopped green onion, a few slices of chili, and a little ground pepper to enhance the dish’s flavor.
How to choose fresh and delicious pork belly
- Fresh and delicious pork belly should have clearly defined layers, with the lean meat and fat tightly bonded together without separating.
- The layer of fat should be translucent white, not cloudy or yellowish, while the lean meat should be bright pink or light red, with a natural bright color and no dark discoloration.
- Avoid choosing pieces of pork belly with excessively thick layers of fat and skin, as they are usually from older pigs and can be greasy when eaten.
- Touch the surface of the meat; it should be dry, the meat fibers should be soft with elasticity, and there should be no strange odor, indicating it can be purchased.
See details: How to choose good quality pork belly
How to eliminate the smell of pork
- You can use salt to rub all over the piece of meat thoroughly, then rinse with water 1 – 2 times to clean and effectively eliminate the smell.
- Put a pot of water on the stove, add a few slices of smashed ginger, boil until the water is boiling, then drop the pork belly in for a quick blanch for about 1 – 2 minutes. After removing the meat, rinse it with cold water to completely remove the smell.
How to choose fresh straw mushrooms
- You should buy straw mushrooms in the early morning or late evening when they have just been harvested and are still fresh.
- Pay attention to choose straw mushrooms that are round, still in bud, and not fully opened.
- Black straw mushrooms are often rated as having a higher sweetness compared to white straw mushrooms.
- You should buy mushrooms at reputable food stores that specialize in providing clean agricultural products.
- If buying packaged mushrooms at supermarkets, you need to read the information on the packaging to confirm the origin and expiration date.
See details: How to choose fresh straw mushrooms
See more
With just a few simple steps, you can immediately make 2 dishes of straw mushroom stew delicious for your family’s meal even more appealing. Wish you success in making your own dish!
*Refer to images and recipes from YouTube channel: Gia đình food, What to eat here
