National treasure...
The braised pork shaped gem is called the Meat Shape Stone, a toy/decoration in the Qing Dynasty imperial court. It is a natural agate block with the same color as braised pork, with layers formed by the accumulation of various impurities, which is further carved by the artisan into the shape of a complete braised pork with lean meat, fat and skin.
Thuy Ngoc Bach Thai is a jade block carved into a cabbage, with two grasshoppers (one big and one small) hiding among the leaves. The color of the leaves is also the natural color of the stone, which the artist took full advantage of to create an extremely realistic and vivid work.
The Flesh Stone, the White Jade Statue, and the Mao Gongding bronze cauldron are three treasures of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. These works have also been copied into cute souvenirs sold to tourists.
...From the famous braised pork dish
Dongpo Braised Pork (Dongpo Meat) is a famous dish of Chinese cuisine and is also the origin of Chinese braised pork on Vietnamese dinner tables.
Dong Po Braised Pork is not too elaborate in preparation but is rich in flavor and goes well with rice. The pork belly is cut into bite-sized square pieces, marinated with soy sauce, ginger, rock sugar, and Shaoxing wine. This wine is distilled with wheat yeast, has an intoxicating aroma, and if buried underground for a long enough period of time, it will become the legendary Zhuangyuan Hong and Nuerhong.
The meat is then fried in hot oil, keeping the outer shell golden brown and the skin slightly crispy, then put into a pot with the marinade mixture for 3 hours to cook the meat, so the chef often ties the meat with string and absolutely does not stir the meat when it starts to boil to avoid breaking the meat. During the cooking process, the bottom of the pot can be lined with onions and ginger to prevent the meat from sticking. This is a dish served with rice (white sticky rice) and vegetables, loved by many people, especially in the cold season.
The Silks Palace Hotel in Taipei offers a menu that includes braised pork and cabbage shaped exactly like "national treasures."
Dongpo Braised Pork is named after the famous scholar Su Dongpo of the Northern Song Dynasty. He is also known as a character with a passion for food as in his poems there are connections with dishes. The unforgettable delicious taste of the braised pork he created has turned it into a traditional dish of Hangzhou in particular and China in general.
