Another dish that emerged during the Qing dynasty, hui guo rou or Sichuan style twice cooked pork is perhaps the most beloved Sichuanese dish.
The dish is so-named because the pork belly is first boiled in water with ginger, shallots, and cooking wine before being stir-fried with Sichuan peppercorns, cabbage, and bell peppers.
Now, hui guo rou is popular with Chengdu locals, however its original incarnation occurred when royalty visiting one particular village left them unprepared to provide an appropriately regal feast. Legend has it locals threw together their leftovers to create the very first hui guo rou. Needless to say, the Qianlong Emperor was suitably impressed and the dish lived on to become a favorite.
Hui guo rou is made with chili bean sauce, fermented black beans and green garlic leaves and best served with plain white rice and broth. The red hot chili bean sauce and green peppers used in the dish give the appearance of being hot and spicy, but when cooked right, hui guo rou will impress your taste buds in the same way those villagers did when they cooked for the emperor.
