The flavoring of the pork with our version of Fujinese "wine lees
paste" gives it a distinctive and uniquely delicious flavor.
Prepare Paste:Use mortar and pestle to pulverize cooked rice.
Combine with sugar, yeast, soy and warm water. Let stand in warm
place for 30 minutes to activate yeast. Authentic wine lees paste is
not available in the U.S. to our knowledge, this is the best substi-
tute we have found. You can add wet bean cheese for a sharper flavor.
Braise Pork:Slice pork butt across the grain into strips, 1" by 3"
by 1/2" thick.Heat peanut oil in wok until it begins to smoke. Add
some of pork to hot oil; stir-fry pieces until they lose their pink-
ness; repeat in batches until all pork is browned.Next, add garlic
to wok; stir briefly. Pour in wine lees paste, rice vinegar, sherry
and stock; bring to slow boil; add pork slices. Reduce heat, cover,
and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove pork, without sauce, to large platter.Cool pork. Cooling is
essential so that it will deep-fry properly. Reserve sauce in small
pan. You can hold pork for several hours, if you wish to braise it in
advance.
Deep-fry Pork:Heat deep-frying oil in wok.While oil is heating,
beat egg yolks with water; set out bread crumbs on platter. Dip pork
pieces in egg mixture, then bread crumbs, to thoroughly cover.
When oil is at deep-frying temperature, 375 degrees, slip in a slice
of pork as a test:pork should lightly brown in about 1 minute.
Place 6 pork slices on Chinese strainer, and lower into oil, strainer
and all. Check in 2 minutes (browning should take slightly longer
than test because strainer cools the oil).If you prefer to fry in
larger batches, use more oil. Remove fried pork to warm platter,
uncovered.
Finish:Reheat sauce, and pour over pork just before serving.
