Chao Larou – Stir-fried bacon in Sichuan bean sauces is the delicious cousin of the more famous Twice-Cooked Pork, Hui-guo Rou, literally translates to “returned to the pot pork”. The recipe for both is below. A chunk of pork belly is first boiled then cooled, sliced, and stir-fried with leeks and other ingredients. Using thick-sliced bacon eliminates the need to boil the fatty pork by using already cured bacon with the same vegetables and sauce.

Szechuan twice cooked pork green chilies

Twice-Cooked Pork in Sichuan Bean Sauce – Hui-guo Rou (Pork Belly) or Chao (Bacon)-La Rou

A good smoked thick-sliced bacon is perfect for this simplified but equally flavorful version of Twice-Cooked Pork. For the pork belly version, find as meaty a piece as possible (50% +). The strong Sichuan sauces are beautifully offset by the chewy pork slices and crunchy leeks. It is at its peak eaten fresh but can be refrigerated and reheated in a microwave with an imperceptible loss of flavor. White rice is essential to absorb the wonderful flavors.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Brunch, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Sichuan, Western China

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Freezing pork belly, if using: 1

Total Time: 1 25

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Wok
Food processor with slicing blade (optional but easier)
Colander

Ingredients

1 lb Smoked Bacon, thick sliced; or unsliced pork belly
1 tbsp Peanut oil (Sub: vegetable or canola oil)
2 medium Leeks, cut into ¼-inch slices
¼ cup Chicken stock
1 tbsp Doubanjiang (Pixian broad bean chili paste)
1 tbsp Sweet wheat paste (or hoisin sauce)
1 tbsp Fermented black beans
1 tsp Sugar
4 Scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch slivers

Instructions

Prepare – For bacon, cut crossways into 2-inch slices. For pork belly, boil meat for 15-20 minutes and then freeze for 1-2 hours before slicing into 2-inch by ¼-inch slices by hand or in a food processor. Remove deep green leaves from leeks and slice into thin disks. Thoroughly rinse and drain leeks to remove any grit. Combine chicken stock, chili bean paste (doubanjiang), wheat paste, sugar, and black beans.
Cook – Heat wok over high heat. Add oil. When oil's smoking, add pork and stir-fry until the pieces are almost done, but not browned. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Pour out all but 3 tbsp oil from the wok.
Reheat wok over high heat. Add leeks and stir-fry until they begin to soften and brown around the edges. Push leeks to the sides of the wok and add chicken stock with sugar, black beans, and sauces to the well in the middle. Cook briefly to combine.
Add back cooked pork with scallions and stir-fry everything until the scallions are softening and pork is cooked through but not browned. Serve hot with rice.