I’m pretty excited about our Homemade Chinese Salted Pork recipe, which we posted last week. So if you decide to make a batch of salted pork, here’s a follow-up recipe for how to use it: Braised Daikon with Salted Pork and Glass Noodles.
(Note: I’ve also posted a couple other recipes in the past that can use salted pork: Shanghai Cai Fan and Yan Du Xian).
A Home-style Chinese Recipe
In China, the term for home-style or family-style cooking is jiachang cai (家常菜). Salted pork is something you’ll find less often in restaurants.
It’s much more likely to turn up on family dinner tables in simple home-style dishes like this Braised Daikon dish, where salted pork is the star. In fact, any time salted pork is present in a dish, it takes center stage.
Other ways to use salted pork include simply steaming the salted pork on top of rice in your rice cooker, or chopping it into small pieces and adding it to stir-fries. I have also seen salted pork used in many different kinds of Chinese soups—even fish soups.
The beauty of Chinese salted pork is that it’s really a flavor agent. It adds tons of complexity and umami deliciousness to dishes, so I do hope this post gives you some inspiration and the freedom to improvise with your salted pork!
Happy wokking!
Recipe Instructions
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the salted pork belly for a couple of minutes until the pork fat turns transparent.
Now add the daikon radish…
And stir to combine.
Add the chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat until the daikon is cooked through.
Meanwhile, rinse the mung bean glass noodles and soak in cold water for five minutes. After five minutes, drain and set aside.
After the 15 minutes of simmering have elapsed, add the sesame oil, white pepper, and salt to taste.
Mix everything well. Add the glass noodles on top of the daikon, cover, and simmer for another three minutes. Uncover and add in the green parts of the scallions.
Give everything a quick stir to combine and serve.
Braised Daikon with Salted Pork and Glass Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 scallions (the white and green parts separated)
- 5 ounces salted pork belly (140g, sliced)
- 1½ pounds daikon radish (cut into small pieces)
- 3½ cups chicken stock
- 75 grams mung bean vermicelli (2 small bundles)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the garlic, the white parts of the scallion, and the salted pork belly for a couple of minutes until the pork fat turns transparent. Now add the daikon, and stir to combine. Add the stock, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat until the daikon is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, rinse the glass noodles and soak in cold water for five minutes. After five minutes, drain and set aside. After the 15 minutes of simmering have elapsed, add the sesame oil, white pepper, and salt to taste. Mix everything well. Add the glass noodles on top of the daikon, cover, and simmer for another three minutes. Uncover and add in the green parts of the scallions. Give everything a quick stir to combine and serve.
nutrition facts
In a pinch, can bacon be substituted for salt pork?
Yes, you can use bacon :-)
Made this with three substitutions and it was still really yummy: konbu broth instead of chicken broth, pork belly instead of the salted, and nappa cabbage instead of the mung bean noodles. And just realized now I forgot the sesame oil!
So glad you liked it, Annette!
is this a stand alone dish or do you serve it with something else?
Hi Sumi, since it has glass noodles, it can be a standalone dish as well. But usually I have it with rice. :-)
Hi. Judy
As I do not take pork, would beef be a good substitute for this recipe??
Hi NJ, the pork in this dish is salted pork, so it’s hard to substitute with regular beef.
Two thumbs way up for this old school recipe! Makes me wanna try making my own salt pork.
Hi Harvey, so glad you approve :-) Thank you!
Looking so good! I’m more used to daikons on baos believe it or not, but I love the adding on it here!
Hi Fernando, “daikons on baos” sound really interesting! I would like to see it :-)