Braised Ground Pork

• 8 oz. ground pork
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 5 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. black bean sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sambal oelek
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 0.5 tsp. white pepper
• 0.25 tsp. five spice powder
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 cup fresh peas, shelled
• 2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water
• Salt (to taste)
• 3 scallions, chopped

Place the meat in a medium bowl along with the marinade ingredients: water, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, and white pepper. Mix well until the meat has absorbed the marinade, and set it aside for 15–20 minutes.

Trim away the tough stems from the shiitake mushrooms and dice them into thick pieces.

After peeling and dicing the potatoes, set them to soak in a bowl of cold water.

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the minced ginger and mushrooms. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the pork and increase the heat to high. Break up any large chunks with your spatula, cooking until the meat is opaque and lightly browned. Stir in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok or pan.

Next, drain the potato cubes and add them to the wok, along with the oyster sauce, bean sauce, sambal oelek, soy sauce, white pepper, five spice powder, and broth.

Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes until the potato is just about cooked through.

Stir in the garlic, onion, and peas. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until the potatoes and vegetables are tender. Add more water if needed to prevent the sauce from drying out.

Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Salt to taste. Stir in the chopped scallions. Serve with steamed rice.