Suan Cai Bai Rou or Pickled Vegetable Pork Belly Soup [酸菜白肉汤]

Dinner @ Lao Hu Ji Restaurant [老滸记].

 

Suan Cai literally means "sour vegetable", and is a traditional dish in Northeastern Chinese cuisine. Suan Cai is similar to Sauerkraut, which is common in many northern European cuisines, especially German cuisine.

 

Traditionally, only Chinese cabbage is used to make Suan Cai, where the vegetable is compressed. Traditionally, this is accomplished by placing a heavy weight such as a large rock on top of the cover of the container so that the Chinese cabbage inside the container is slowly compressed and fermented. The compression and tight packing of the vegetable helps to create an unique fermentation process which results in the distinct flavor / taste of Suan Cai.

 

Suan Cai is excellent in cooking with meat, especially pork, and it is claimed that Suan Cai would neutralise the grease of the meat.

 

The soup was very hearty, very refreshing and very umami.

 

Done