Grandma's Pork and Vegetable Stew (Jab Chai)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and ground white pepper, sautéing until the garlic turns golden and fragrant. This step releases essential aromatics that form the stew's flavor base.

2. 2

   Add the chopped pork ribs to the pot, stirring briefly to coat them with the garlic and pepper.

3. 3

   Pour in the water, then add the rinsed dried shiitake mushrooms and daikon chunks.

4. 4

   Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Golden Mountain Sauce (or Maggi), and black soy sauce if using. These seasonings build the umami backbone and deepen the broth's color.

5. 5

   Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, partially covered, and cook for about 30 minutes until the pork is tender and the broth is richly flavored.

   30 min

6. 6

   Using tongs, remove the mushrooms from the pot, squeeze out excess liquid, and set them aside on a cutting board to cool.

7. 7

   Add the carrot, green cabbage, and Chinese broccoli to the pot. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still vibrant. Add a little water if necessary to keep the ingredients just submerged.

   10 min

8. 8

   While the vegetables cook, trim the stems from the cooled mushrooms and slice the caps thinly. Return the sliced mushrooms to the stew.

9. 9

   Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or pepper if needed.

10. 10

    Serve hot, accompanied by jasmine rice if desired.