Braised Pork Hock with Dried Shiitake Mushrooms and Chestnuts

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch pork hock: Bring a pot of water to boil, add pork hock and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove impurities. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a large pot or claypot, heat cooking oil. Sauté ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add blanched pork hock and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.

4. 4

   Pour in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Stir well to coat the pork hock.

5. 5

   Add dried shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, and hot water (or chicken broth) until pork hock is just submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 60-75 minutes, or until pork hock is tender.

6. 6

   Check seasoning and adjust with salt if needed. If desired, add cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce slightly. Serve hot with steamed rice.