Crispy Fried Pork — 蒸酥肉 Su Rou

Every single person from Sichuan has this memory.You are maybe six years old. Your grandma is standing by the stove. Hot oil. She is frying these pork strips and you are just standing there like a little spy. Waiting. She says, go away, it is hot! But then she takes one piece and puts it right in your mouth.

That was the 1980s in China. We only ate this at Chinese New Year. That was the only time we could have it. I used to steal pieces when my grandma was not looking.

Today, I do not have to steal. I am the grandma now.

You can eat these crispy straight from the oil as a snack. But today we are steaming them in broth, and that is where the magic happens, the outside goes soft and drinks the soup, but the inside stays chewy. A little surprise in your mouth.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900g) pork belly or shoulder (skinless), cut into thick strips
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
• 150-200g sweet potato starch
• Pinch of salt and white pepper
• Cooking oil for deep frying

For the steaming bowl:

• 4 slices ginger
• Broth or water (enough to fill the bowl halfway)
• A pinch of salt, white pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns

Directions

1. Marinate the pork. Mix the pork strips with eggs, salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and cooking wine. Gradually add the sweet potato starch, a little at a time. You want a thick batter that coats the meat — not dripping off, not too dry. Just hanging on.
2. Fry until golden. Heat oil to 320°F (160°C). Fry the pork strips until golden brown all over. Remove and drain. If you want to eat some as a snack right now, nobody is judging you.
3. Cut into pieces. Once cooled slightly, cut the fried strips into bite-sized pieces.
4. Assemble. Place ginger slices at the bottom of a steaming bowl. Pack the fried pork on top. Sprinkle with a little salt, white pepper, and a few extra Sichuan peppercorns. Pour broth or water into the bowl until it reaches halfway up the pork.
5. Steam for 40 minutes. The fried crust softens and absorbs the broth, but the inside keeps its chewy texture.
6. Serve. Flip the bowl onto a plate and garnish with green onions.

Chinese Mom Tips

Add the starch a little at a time. If you dump all the sweet potato starch in at once, the batter will be lumpy and uneven. Add it gradually, mixing as you go, until every piece of meat has a thick, even coat.

Want to eat these as a crispy snack instead? Fry them twice. First fry on medium heat to cook the inside. Let them rest for a few minutes. Then a quick second fry on high heat to crisp the outside and push the oil out. Since we are steaming them for the banquet, one fry is enough.

Why steam something you already fried? Because the steaming transforms the dish completely. The crispy batter becomes a soft sponge that soaks up the savory broth. The meat inside stays tender and chewy. It is two textures in one bite — that is the whole point.