Noodle with Braised Pickled Long Bean and Pork Belly Dices Topping

Usually in the evenings I do yoga, I would have something quick and light beforehand. So today I had noodle with a delicious topping.

When I am not busy, I like to prepare some sidedishes in fridge so that every time when I need a quick meal I can have it in no more than 10 minutes. Pickles are my summer essential and I made a jar of pickled long beans two weeks ago. Unlike many other pickled vegetables, long beans need to be cooked even after pickling, and its best partner is fat meat. So I made a braised pork belly with pickled long beans yesterday.

Ingredients –
Pork belly, good pork belly would have layers of fat and lean, sometimes with skin. I love to choose those with skin. After a long simmering, the gelatin will melt in the sauce；
pickled long beans；
ginger, garlic, bay leave, star anise, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, salt。

How to do –
1. Dice the pork belly and pan fry them without adding any oil. Pork fat will release quite a lot of oil gradually. When the pork dices turn golden crispy outside then it’s time to add other ingredient;
2. Add in mashed ginger and garlic, bay leave, star anise and fry for a few seconds. It depends on what herbs you have in your rack, just choose those can be good partners of meat, such as cinnamon is suitable as well;
3. Add in soy sauce, sugar and salt, and water till the meat is just covered. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes in medium low heat;
4. Take out the herbs;
5. Add in the diced long beans and simmer for another 5 minutes;
6. Reduce the sauce in high heat, have a taste, it should be a bit saltier than a usual meat dish, because this supposes to be topping of noodle and rice.

If you don’t like long bean then just pork belly is good enough, or you could try other vegetables with not much moisture. I would like to make a lot and it can be fried with rice, noodle, mushroom, etc.