Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables (Mei Cai Kou Rou)

Soak the preserved mustard greens in water for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly to remove excess salt. Squeeze dry and chop roughly.

Bring a pot of water to boil, add the pork belly and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove, drain, and pat dry. While still warm, rub the skin with dark soy sauce to color it.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the pork belly skin-side down until the skin is golden brown and blistered. Remove and set aside to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, slice the pork belly into 1 cm thick slices.

In the same wok, sauté ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon until fragrant. Add the preserved vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add light soy sauce, rock sugar, and cooking wine. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add water and bring to a simmer.

Arrange the pork slices in a single layer in a heatproof bowl, skin-side down. Top with the cooked preserved vegetables and pour the braising liquid over. Cover the bowl with a plate.

Place the bowl in a steamer over high heat. Steam for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the pork is very tender.

Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer. Place a serving plate over the bowl and invert to unmold the dish. Serve hot.