Description
A staple tavern/bento appetizer where 'pig's ears'—braised long in soy and star anise—are sliced ultra-thin and tossed with sesame oil, scallions, and chilies.
Restaurants serving Cold Pig's Ear Salad
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Pig's ears
- Soy sauce
- Star anise
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Scallions
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Lu (Braising)] Torch hairs off pig's ears, parboil. Simmer for ~
- hour in Lu Zhi (braising liquid) with soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, cassia, rice wine, and ginger until soft but retaining cartilage crunch.
- Cool in the broth to fix flavor and brown color.
- Chill in fridge to tighten meat.
- [Slice & Toss] Slice the cold pig's ears diagonally 'ultra-thin' until translucent (crucial, as thick slices are too hard).
- In a bowl, toss the sliced ears with sesame oil, chopped scallions, grated garlic, a little black vinegar, and chili oil (or red chili).
- Plate on a small dish to serve.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Star anise aroma and Sesame oil
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Mimiga (Store-bought shredded pig's ear, flavor differs)
Pairing
Kaoliang liquor or Taiwan Beer
Trivia
[Hardcore] The absolute regular of Taiwanese 'Xiaocai (small dishes)'. High in collagen, great for beauty, the ultimate beer companion. Unlike Okinawan Mimiga, the Taiwanese style is heavily flavored with star anise and sweet soy sauce.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Take it yourself from the showcase, drip extra tabletop 'black vinegar', and enjoy the contrast of crunchy cartilage and sticky gelatinous skin!
Allergen
Pork, Soy, Wheat, Sesame