Pork Recipes

Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe

Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder is a classic Chinese comfort dish featuring tender pork belly coated in seasoned rice powder and steamed until soft and flavorful. Potatoes absorb the rich juices during cooking, creating a hearty and satisfying meal perfect for family dinners.

Total
1 Hour 30 Minutes
Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe finished dish
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Quick Recipe Summary

Cuisine
Chinese
Category
Pork Recipes
Method
Steaming
Total Time
1 Hour 30 Minutes
Difficulty
Medium
Main Ingredient
Pork Belly

About This Recipe

Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder is a classic Chinese comfort dish featuring tender pork belly coated in seasoned rice powder and steamed until soft and flavorful. Potatoes absorb the rich juices during cooking, creating a hearty and satisfying meal perfect for family dinners.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Written with clear home-cooking steps so the process is easier to follow from start to finish.
  • Breaks the method into manageable steps instead of assuming you already know the technique.
  • Uses gentle steaming, which makes the cooking process easier to control.
  • Shows a practical way to cook pork with clear preparation and cooking cues.
  • Gives the dish a clear savory and umami flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.

Pork Belly

Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.

Steamed Pork Rice Powder

Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.

medium Potatoes

This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.

Ginger

Ginger adds clean aroma and helps balance meat, seafood, tofu, and fermented flavors.

Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe

These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.

Sauce

Shaoxing Wine

Chinese cooking wine used in marinades, stir-fries, braises, and sauces.

Sauce

Oyster Sauce

A savory sauce for glossy stir-fries, vegetables, marinades, and meat dishes.

Sauce

Dark Soy Sauce

Used in small amounts for darker color, gloss, and deeper soy flavor.

Sauce

Light Soy Sauce

The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.

Technique

Velveting

A Chinese technique for keeping sliced meat, chicken, shrimp, and beef tender.

Technique

How to Steam Chinese Food

Understand Chinese steaming for fish, eggs, tofu, buns, and vegetables.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Step 1

    Clean the pork belly thoroughly, scrape the skin if needed, then blanch in boiling water with cooking wine for 2 minutes. Rinse and drain.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 1: Clean the pork belly thoroughly, scrape the skin if needed, then blanch in boili

  2. Step 2

    Slice the pork belly into thin, even pieces.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 2: Slice the pork belly into thin, even pieces.

  3. Step 3

    Finely mince the ginger.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 3: Finely mince the ginger.

  4. Step 4

    Combine the pork belly with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, ground black pepper, ginger, and fermented bean curd. Mix well.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 4: Combine the pork belly with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooki

  5. Step 5

    Add cornstarch and mix evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 5: Add cornstarch and mix evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Prepare the steamed pork rice powder.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 6: Prepare the steamed pork rice powder.

  7. Step 7

    Add the rice powder to the marinated pork. Add a little water, salt, and chicken bouillon powder, then mix until evenly coated.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 7: Add the rice powder to the marinated pork. Add a little water, salt, and chicken

  8. Step 8

    Slice the potatoes and coat them with some of the rice powder mixture.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 8: Slice the potatoes and coat them with some of the rice powder mixture.

  9. Step 9

    Arrange the pork belly skin-side down in a deep bowl and place the potato slices on top.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 9: Arrange the pork belly skin-side down in a deep bowl and place the potato slices

  10. Step 10

    Steam for about 40 minutes in a pressure cooker or about 1 hour in a traditional steamer until tender.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 10: Steam for about 40 minutes in a pressure cooker or about 1 hour in a traditional

  11. Step 11

    Remove from the steamer and let rest for a few minutes.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 11: Remove from the steamer and let rest for a few minutes.

  12. Step 12

    Invert onto a serving plate and serve hot.

    Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder Recipe step 12: Invert onto a serving plate and serve hot.

Cooking Tips

  • Fermented bean curd adds depth of flavor and helps tenderize the pork.
  • Potatoes absorb the flavorful juices released by the pork during steaming.
  • Do not add too much water when mixing the rice powder coating.
  • Longer steaming results in softer and more tender pork belly.
  • Serve with steamed rice for a traditional meal.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
  • Use it as a small side dish with congee, noodles, dumplings, or a rich braised main.
  • A small portion can brighten heavier dishes because the sour, salty flavor cuts through richness.

Recipe Card

Steamed Pork Belly with Rice Powder is a classic Chinese comfort dish featuring tender pork belly coated in seasoned rice powder and steamed until soft and flavorful. Potatoes absorb the rich juices during cooking, creating a hearty and satisfying meal perfect for family dinners.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Pork Belly
  • 1 packet Steamed Pork Rice Powder
  • 2 medium Potatoes
  • 3 g Ginger
  • 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 1 g Ground Black Pepper
  • to taste Fermented Bean Curd
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Cooking Wine
  • 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste Chicken Bouillon Powder

Method

  1. Clean the pork belly thoroughly, scrape the skin if needed, then blanch in boiling water with cooking wine for 2 minutes. Rinse and drain.
  2. Slice the pork belly into thin, even pieces.
  3. Finely mince the ginger.
  4. Combine the pork belly with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, ground black pepper, ginger, and fermented bean curd. Mix well.
  5. Add cornstarch and mix evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes.
  6. Prepare the steamed pork rice powder.
  7. Add the rice powder to the marinated pork. Add a little water, salt, and chicken bouillon powder, then mix until evenly coated.
  8. Slice the potatoes and coat them with some of the rice powder mixture.
  9. Arrange the pork belly skin-side down in a deep bowl and place the potato slices on top.
  10. Steam for about 40 minutes in a pressure cooker or about 1 hour in a traditional steamer until tender.
  11. Remove from the steamer and let rest for a few minutes.
  12. Invert onto a serving plate and serve hot.

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