Taiwanese Fried and Braised Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the Pork Chop:
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce, such as Kikkoman or Kimlan
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Taiwanese rice wine (michiu) or cooking sake
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
- 1 medium clove garlic (5g), minced
- 1 large egg white
- 4 small boneless pork loin chops (about 3 to 4 ounces; 85 to 113g each)
- 4 cups (946ml) canola or soybean oil
- 1 cup thick sweet potato starch (about 5 3/4 ounces; 160g), see notes
For the Braising Liquid:
- 2 cups (475ml) water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (75ml) soy sauce, such as Kikkoman or Kimlan
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Taiwanese rice wine (michiu) or cooking sake
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (about 1/2 ounce; 15g)
- One 1-inch piece fresh ginger (10g), unpeeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 3 medium cloves garlic (15g), peeled and smashed
- 2 scallions
- 1 star anise
- 1 dried tangerine or mandarin orange peel, about the size of a quarter (optional), see notes
- 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns (optional)
To Serve:
- Cooked short-grain white rice
Instructions
- 1
Marinade - In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, five-spice powder, salt, garlic, and egg white to combine; set aside.
- 2
Preparing the Pork - Place one pork chop on a clean cutting board and, using the ridged side of a meat mallet or blunt side of a Chinese cleaver, pound pork chops gently to 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside and repeat with remaining pork chops.
- 3
Marinating - Add pork chops to the soy sauce mixture, massaging and tossing the pork to evenly coat with marinade. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
- 4
Frying Setup - When ready to cook, set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and line rack with a double layer of paper towels; set aside. Heat oil in a wok or medium-size Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350˚F (175˚C) on an instant-read or fryer thermometer.
- 5
Dredging - In a wide, shallow dish, add sweet potato starch. Working with 1 pork chop at a time, dredge both sides in sweet potato starch, pressing gently to adhere. Gently shake off excess sweet potato starch and transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chops.
- 6
Frying - Using tongs, add 2 pork chops to hot oil, gently sliding them in as close to the oil's surface as possible to minimize splashing. Cook until pork is light golden brown, about 2 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain an oil temperature of 350°F (175°C). Using tongs, transfer pork to prepared baking sheet. Using a skimmer or ladle, remove any leftover crumbs from oil. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
- 7
Braising Liquid - In a medium pot, combine water, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, star anise, tangerine or mandarin peel (if using), and Sichuan peppercorns (if using). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and allow liquid to slow to a gentle simmer.
- 8
Braising - Using tongs, carefully add 2 deep-fried pork chops, handling gently to ensure breading does not fall off. Cover and simmer until the pork chop is fully cooked and registers 145˚F (63˚C) on an instant thermometer, 4 to 8 minutes. Gently remove chop and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pork chops. Serve with cooked white rice.