Braised Pork with Potatoes (薯仔炆豬肉)

This is the Cantonese equivalent of a warm blanket. Pork belly and potatoes, browned in a wok and then braised in a sauce of ground bean paste, oyster sauce, and soy until the potatoes are falling apart and the pork is tender enough to cut with chopsticks. It is the kind of dish that tastes good on the first day and better on the third, which makes it the rare stew that improves with leftovers.

The technique is straightforward. The potatoes go into the wok first and get a quick sear until the edges turn golden. Then the pork belly, cut into thick pieces so it does not dry out during braising, gets the same treatment. Ground bean sauce, oyster sauce, and soy go in on low heat to bloom their flavors. Boiling water covers everything, the lid goes on, and ten minutes later the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced into a thick, savory glaze.

Pork belly is the right cut here. The layers of fat and meat render during braising into something silky and rich. Lean cuts like chops or loin will dry out. The potatoes absorb the sauce and the rendered pork fat, which is why this is a dish where the potatoes are arguably better than the meat.