
If you add fish or oysters to this recipe, be sure to coat them with some cornstarch and pan-fry or deep-fry first. Then add them to the clay pot at the end.Chicken or char siu can also be used.In this recipe, I deep-fried the garlic and roasted pork but you can also pan-fry them.
On night before, soak 6 shiitake mushrooms if using dried ones
Peel garlic cloves
Heat 1L oil to 150˚C or 300˚F Instead of deep-frying the garlic and roasted pork, you can also choose to pan-fry
Deep-fry garlic until golden. Remove from oil and set aside
Heat oil to 190˚C or 375˚F. Add roasted pork. Deep fry for 2 minutes or until golden. Remove from oil and set aside
Slice one small onion; prepare 6 slices ginger; slice shiitake mushrooms in half (using a slanted cut will help even out the thickness); slice preserved sausages; and cut green onions to 5cm pieces. Set aside
In a pot, using medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp oil, add ginger and fry until golden I usually use a ceramic coated pot for this process and I use a clay pot at the end because I want to add lettuce on the bottom of the clay pot.
Add onions and preserved sausages. Fry for 1 minute
Add shiitake mushrooms. Fry for 1 minute
Add roasted pork, fried garlic, tofu puffs and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for 1 minute
Turn heat to medium and add 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and the white parts of the green onions. Turn heat back up to high. Stir-fry 1 minute
Add 2 cups water or until the water level covers 70% of the ingredients. Bring to a boil Some recipes call for enough water to cover all the ingredients, but that would make it too soupy
Reduce heat to low. Cover with lid. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes
In a small bowl, prepare 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water. Mix well and set aside
Five minutes before the garlic, roasted pork and tofu are done, mix slurry and pour the slurry slowly into the pot. Stir gently. Turn off heat after sauce has thickened. Add green onions. If the sauce is not thick enough, make more slurry and add it in
Add 1 tbsp oil into a clay pot (a second pot), heat at medium-high heat. Add lettuce and stir-fry until slightly softened. Takes approx. 30 seconds You may also use the same pot by shifting the contents to one side, add the lettuce and shift the contents onto the lettuce so that the lettuce is on the bottom
Pour the garlic roasted pork and tofu on top of the lettuce, do not stir. Cover with lid. Turn off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes
Serve