Braised Trotters - A Cantonese Recipe

Braised Pig Trotters (front)

First let's talk a little about this famous and best loved dish of all time among the Chinese community, it does not matter where you come from within China, this is one dish that speaks unity. There are of course many ways of cooking pig's trotters. Hakka way, Cantonese way, Teochew way, Hokkien way and whatever ways, it still taste just as lovely. Oh yes, coming from Singapore, there's the Peranakan way - Babi Pongteh way. I got a recipe for Babi Pongteh with trotters stored away in my head and my note book, this recipe was given to me from a friend's mom who's from Kuching, they are from a very traditional Peranakan family background,  I will post this secrete recipe in another post.

Now, as for today, we will discuss on this recipe which is a starting point for anyone who's attempting to prepare braised pig trotters for the first time. It's simple to wok,  but once you taste it, may just sent you trotting to heaven.

Let's begin with the ingredients.

• Chopped garlic
• 1 whole garlic untouched
•  2 cups of Chicken Stock ( ah, this is what makes the difference)
• 2-3 Star Anise ( you also like to place all the 5 spices, but i did this with one)
• 5 thickly sliced Ginger
• The trotter about 1 kilo ( I am using one whole trotter for this dish here)
• 1 small piece of Rock Sugar or 1 Sugar Cane ( about using sugar cane, it actually takes away the strong pork smell)
• Black Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Chinese cooking wine

Method:

Fry chopped garlic, sliced ginger and Star Anise and sugar cane (if you are using sugar cane otherwise, just follow with this process) until fragrant. Make sure that trotters pieces are dry before dropping them into the wok. Fry trotters with more vigor, make sure it does not stick to the wok, place a little more oil if it does. When you hear the crackling sound of the skin being hardened, it's time for the black sauce, get about 3 tbs ready and quickly pour into the wok, fry again, pour about 2 spoonful of Chinese cooking wine, while still frying, make sure all the colors are evenly spread. Try not to pour soya sauce at this stage, as it might burn the trotters. The trotters does not need to be thoroughly cooked. It will be cooked later:). Caution: At this point your family may unexpectedly run into the kitchen and your neighbors might start knocking on your door, as the entire apartment will be filled with a rich spicy and meaty aroma.

The frying process helps keep the skin tangy, while another method would be to deep fry the trotters before stewing them. I prefer this method as it uses lesser oil and gives me a better control over the meat.

Next pour 1 cup of chicken stock and rock sugar into the wok and simmer it for a while before transferring it into a clay pot or slow cooker. If you do not have either of these pots, it's alright, as long as you have a pot to stew it in. I prefer clay pot as it gives it an extra after effect cooking flavor to it, especially in a seasoned one.

Pour another cup of chicken stock, 1 cup of water and 2 tbs of soy sauce into the pot. Place a whole uncut garlic into the pot. Set it high heat, once it starts to bubble, turn heat down to low and cook it for about 1- 11/2 hr. It should be ready to be served by then. The sauce will be slightly thick and rich, best leave some for tomorrow's  fried pig trotters bee hoon lunch. 

Simple ingredients for today.

Can you smell it?

Drop garlic into the pot.

This is how it looks when it's done and ready to be served.

Juicy and rich in flavor.