Home-styleMedium 120 min serves 6

Man-Han Family Feast Combo

Name: Man-Han Family Feast Combo
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: pork belly, skin-on, cut into 4 cm cubes; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated; rock sugar

满汉家宴组合 · mǎn hàn jiā yàn zǔ hé

家庭快手版 · Home version: Simplified from imperial banquet dishes—no live pheasant or bear paw, just tender braised pork belly, steamed fish with ginger-scallion oil, and sweet lotus root cakes. All adapted for home wok and oven.

My grandmother in Beijing’s Hutong used to prepare this trio every Spring Festival Eve—she’d braise the pork belly overnight in a sandpot, steam the fish at dawn while singing old opera tunes, and let us kids press lotus root patties into round molds shaped like coins. 'Fullness first, then harmony,' she’d say.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More pork recipes →Make-Ahead

Ingredients

pork belly, skin-on, cut into 4 cm cubes带皮五花肉，切4厘米方块🛒 local800 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian60 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴黄酒🏮 asian30 ml
dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated干香菇，泡发🏮 asian50 g
rock sugar冰糖🏮 asian30 g

pork belly, skin-on, cut into 4 cm cubes: Look for even marbling; avoid pre-sliced thin cuts.

dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated: Substitute fresh shiitakes if unavailable — add 5 min earlier.

rock sugar: Use granulated sugar if rock sugar unavailable; color will be lighter.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Blanch pork belly in boiling water with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine for 3 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water.
去腥定型
🔍 Look for High heat 3 分钟 · 3 minutes
Visual: 水面浮沫，肉块边缘变不透明粉红Foam rises, meat turns opaque pink at edges
You know it's right when: 水在90秒内重新沸腾Water returns to full boil within 90 seconds
2Heat wok over medium-high heat; add 1 tsp oil and sear pork until golden on all sides (~5 min). Transfer to slow cooker or heavy pot.
锁汁上色
🔍 Look for Medium-high 5 分钟 · 5 minutes
Visual: 形成深琥珀色脆壳，溅油少Deep amber crust forms, minimal splatter
You know it's right when: 脆壳形成后肉块自动离锅Meat releases easily from pan when crust is set
3In same wok, stir-fry sliced rehydrated shiitakes and 1 tbsp minced ginger until fragrant (1 min). Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and 500 ml water. Simmer 10 min.
激香酱汁
🔍 Look for Medium-low 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 酱汁微滚，香气明显增强Sauce bubbles gently, aroma intensifies
You know it's right when: 表面细密匀泡，非大滚Surface shows fine, steady bubbles—not vigorous boil
4Return pork to pot. Cover and braise on stove (or in oven at 160°C/320°F) for 1 hour 45 minutes, until fork-tender and sauce reduces by half.
文火入味
🔍 Look for Low heat 1 小时 45 分钟 · 1 hour 45 minutes
Visual: 酱汁挂勺浓稠；筷子轻戳即散纤维Sauce coats spoon thickly; meat fibers separate slightly when probed
You know it's right when: 酱汁呈深褐色，紧裹肉块Sauce darkens to mahogany and clings to meat
5Gently stir in blanched bok choy stems (optional garnish) and simmer 2 more minutes. Serve hot in deep bowl with steamed rice.
清鲜点睛
Braise up to 2 days ahead—flavor deepens. Reheat gently with splash of water.

Tips

· Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent scorching during long braise
· Reserve 2 tbsp braising liquid to glaze steamed fish later
· Serve with lotus root cakes and whole steamed fish for full Man-Han combo

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide