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braised arrowhead root with pork

Braised Arrowhead Root with Pork

This balanced dish consists of crunchy and potato-like arrowhead roots braised in a thick, savory sauce, Chinese pork belly, and refreshing Chinese celery. It's the only way my family prepares arrowhead roots!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb arrowhead roots 10-12
  • 2 oz Chinese cured pork belly lap yuk or regular pork belly
  • 3 stalks Chinese celery or sub regular celery
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp Chinese soybean paste (sometimes labeled yellow soybean paste)
  • 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 inch piece Chinese slab sugar or 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil

Instructions
 

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel the arrowhead roots. I like to do this by first using the sprout as a handle, then peeling all around it. Then snap off the sprout, and peel the area that connected the sprout to the body. Rinse under water to remove any additional dirt.
    1 lb arrowhead roots
  • Using the side of a knife, smack each arrowhead root until it breaks into 2-3 pieces with craggly edges. These edges create more surface area to hold onto the sauce better.
  • Peel the garlic cloves. Give each a light smash with the side of your knife. Alternatively, mince the garlic.
    3 cloves garlic
  • Slice the Chinese cured pork belly into 1/8th or 1/4th of an inch thick.
    2 oz Chinese cured pork belly
  • Wash and slice the celery stalks into 2-3 inch long pieces.
    3 stalks Chinese celery

Cook the arrowhead root

  • Heat a pan on medium-low heat, and add neutral oil. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic and Chinese cured pork belly. Stir fry for 2 mins or until the garlic is golden, and some fat from the pork belly has rendered.
    1 tbsp neutral oil
  • Add the soybean paste and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 mins to release their flavors.
    2 tbsp Chinese soybean paste, 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • Add the arrowhead roots, and stir-fry for another minute.
  • Add the water and sugar to the pan. Bring it up to a simmer, then cover the pan with a lid to let cook for 5 minutes, or until the arrowhead roots have softened slightly.
    2 cups water, 1 inch piece Chinese slab sugar
  • Remove the lid, and simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. The texture of the arrowhead roots should be slightly crunchy, but cooked through to the center (similar to a potato with a crunchy exterior).
  • Season with salt to taste. Finish with the celery and sesame oil. We want to maintain the crunchiness of the celery, so just give it a quick stir, and remove from the heat. Enjoy!
    salt, 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Keyword arrowhead root with pork, braised arrowhead roots, chinese arrowhead root, stir fry arrowhead root
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