Stir Fried Pork Belly With Preserved Mustard Tuber and Cauliflower Leaves

This recipe features cruciferous vegetables (brassicas) in two ways and does so by using two food waste strategies. First, I use mustard tubers — the stem of the mustard plant — preserved in salt. Either do so yourself (much as I preserved daikons in my July 22, 2020, article: “The art of making your own Asian preserved vegetables”) or buy them at 99 Ranch Market, with locations at 7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Kearny Mesa, and 5950 Balboa Ave., Clairemont (99ranch.com/stores). Second, I use shredded cauliflower leaves.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), divided 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground white pepper, divided

12 ounces pork belly, cut in thin strips

1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

3 large cauliflower leaves

(or 6 lacinato kale leaves) 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin strips 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

5 ounces shredded preserved mustard tuber

2 dry red chiles (Japanese or arbol), deseeded and sliced diagonally

In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper; mix thoroughly. Add the pork belly and coat well, then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, add the remaining soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper, then add the black vinegar and brown sugar and stir to combine for the sauce.

Prep the cauliflower leaves by cutting out the central spines (reserve them for pickles). Fold over the two sides of the leaves, role them up and shred the leaves into long strips.

In a large wok, heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil on high. When oil is hot, add the pork belly and cook until the edges are slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove the pork to a clean bowl and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the second tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Add the ginger strips, then increase heat to high and fry till fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the mixture begins to take on a brown color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the shredded mustard tuber and cook until fragrant, about another 3 minutes. Remove the ginger, garlic and mustard tubers to the bowl with the pork belly strips.

Heat the remaining grapeseed oil in the wok. When hot, add the chiles and cook until they take on a more brilliant red color (do not let them burn), then add the cauliflower leaf strips. Stir-fry the strips until they begin to wilt, about 5 minutes, then return the pork belly mixture and the sauce mixture to the wok and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.