Pig Trotter with Ginger and Black Vinegar Stew
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A traditional Chinese confinement dish for postpartum women. This nutritious stew helps the new mother to recover from giving birth, provides warmth and helps to increase breast milk supply.
Author: Yvonne Oh
Recipe type: Pork Recipe
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pig's trotter (foreleg) - about 1 kg (get the butcher to chop into smaller pieces)
- Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
- 100 g old ginger
- 100 g young ginger
- 80 g brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 400 to 500 ml water
- 300 ml sweet black vinegar (I used Doggie brand) - add more if required
- 100 ml Zhe Jiang black vinegar (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Equipment
- Wok and Claypot
Instructions
- Wash pig's trotters. Remove hair if any. Blanch them in boiling water for about 5 minutes to remove scum and excess blood. Remove and rinse with tap water. Set aside.
- Scrape off the skin from the gingers with the back of a teaspoon. Cut into big pieces and bruise them with a pestle and mortar or the flat part of a cleaver.
- Heat sesame oil in a wok. Fry both old and young ginger till fragrant. Add trotter and stir for another 5 minutes.
- Transfer ginger and trotter pieces to a clay pot. Pour vinegar, water and sugar into the claypot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the vinegar stew if necessary. Simmer for another 30 - 45 minutes depending on how soft you'd like the meat to be. Season with salt. You can serve and eat it immediately but it will taste better if you wait as the trotters continue to soften and absorb the flavors of the vinegar.
Cooking Notes
1. Don't use too much water and vinegar or the stew will become soupy.
2. Increase the amount of ginger and sesame oil if you're cooking this as a confinement dish.
3. Cast iron, metal, aluminium and non-stick pots are not recommended as they may react to the acidic vinegar. Use cookware made of clay, glass or ceramic. Crock pot can also be used.
4. Do not let the meat cook for too long with the vinegar. This will cause the stew to become sticky as the gelatine from the pig's skin melts.
2. Increase the amount of ginger and sesame oil if you're cooking this as a confinement dish.
3. Cast iron, metal, aluminium and non-stick pots are not recommended as they may react to the acidic vinegar. Use cookware made of clay, glass or ceramic. Crock pot can also be used.
4. Do not let the meat cook for too long with the vinegar. This will cause the stew to become sticky as the gelatine from the pig's skin melts.
Recipe by Souper Diaries at https://souperdiaries.com/pig-trotter-with-ginger-and-black-vinegar/