▶ 2:53 Braised Pork Belly

Red Cooking

Red cooking is similar to Western braising. It is the simmering of large pieces of food in a soy sauce based liquid. The food can be prepared one or two days ahead and simply warmed before serving.

            To red cook, often you would first marinate the meat or fowl, and then brown it in a pot or wok. After browning, remove the excess fat and place the meat in a bowl. Rinse the wok and wipe it dry, then place the meat back in. Add a spicy sauce liquid to reach half the height of the meat and cover the wok. Cook slowly and evenly until tender. When the meat or fowl is done, remove it form the pot and degrease the braising liquid. At this point, if you want a thicker liquid, add a mixture of starch and water. If you want to heighten the flavor, add a bit of wine. Cut up the food and serve with the sauce. The soy sauce in the braising liquid imparts a reddish color, hence the name.