What ears? Pig ears did you say?
Pig ears are usually served as an appetizer or side dish in many Chinese dinners. It can have a crunchy texture from the cartilage. I love it soft and very gelatinous. This reminds me of a favourite dish called Kway Chap. It’s flat rice noodles. It is served in a light soy broth with side dishes like soy egg, tau pok (fried beancurd), pig’s intestines, fatty pork, pig ears, salted mustard green and some other side dishes. This dish makes me miss Singapore, the hawker centers and supper after clubbing.
Fresh pig ears
The ears did have a smell. So make sure that it is washed thoroughly. I also used a disposable shaver for the hair. Use a blow torch to clean up areas that are more difficult to reach. If you don’t have a blow torch, maybe tweezers? There is nothing squirmish about handling the ears. It feels just like a ear.
Shaving pig ear
Ingredients:
- 4 pig ears, properly prepped
- 500ml water
- 125ml light soy
- 100ml mirin
- 300ml shao xin wine
- 20g of palm sugar
- 15g ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
pig ear in broth
Method:
- Clean the ear and remove the hair with shaver and/or blow torch
- Add all the seasoning and spices into the water with the pig ears into a pot. Bring it to a slow boil, turn down the heat and allow it to simmer for about 5 hours
- Thinly slice the pig ears and serve. Save the stock
We had 2 ears for dinner with very simply cooked egg and bean omelette with hot and steamy rice.
The soft and gelatinous pig ear
We had leftovers for lunch the next day. It was gently heated up, thinly sliced and served with chilli oil. The leftover stock is saved for another very special dish. Will share very soon.
Braised pig ear
Simple, delicious and pleasurable because it provoked good memories. The importance of food and memories are interrelated. This is especially so when as we get older and even more so when living away from home or family.
What do you think? Do you think that food provokes memories?
Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:28:04
Oh my, haven't eaten pig ears for years. They are quite expensive selling from Chinese BBQ shops in HK.
What did you get it? Your last picture of sliced pig ears is beautiful. Now craving…..
Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:34:41
I bought them at the farmers market. After I had it, I realised how much I missed it…. get some from your butcher! And they are so cheap. $3.50 for 4 ears and it took me 2 days to finish it. And they are free range!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:29:25
YUM! So simple. Time to order me in some pig ears…though, my housemates would totally freak out.
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:34:56
Do it! And invite me over!
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:44:36
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeroxie, christineho. christineho said: Incredible snack in HK @jeroxie What ears? Pig ears did you say? http://bit.ly/9xzw4E #notforvegetarians #ihadpigears […]
Sep 01, 2010 @ 10:10:14
I have never seen pig ears in meals before!! this was very interesting how you prepared them.
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 10:12:34
OH man, I've never taken pig ears in my life! haha… But I take the intestine & belly and also NO to the skin! haha…. Frankly, the one you made looks fantastically lucious especially the last photo. Hope you're having a wonderful day.
Chers, kristy
Sep 01, 2010 @ 10:34:39
OMG!!!!!!!! you are too brave!!! my cousin sent me a recipe for cooking squirrel and i haven't had the guts to do it yet. Argh – would you want to try if i sent u the recipe!?
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 10:38:25
I will but I don't think I can find a squirrel here in Melbourne!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 11:54:31
Please invite me over for lunch if you are making this… Huhuhuhu T_____T Miss it so much!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 11:59:10
Wait till you see the next dish and also the rojak….
Sep 01, 2010 @ 12:46:20
Food provokes so many memories for me…it reminds me of my family, my friends. I have so many meals floating through my mind right now. Thank you for sharing your own memories with me!
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 13:12:57
hehe should I be naughyt and show this to my vegan mother in law? OK on the plan to do before I die, shave a pig's ear with a razor
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Aug 31, 2010 @ 20:36:01
@jeroxie my pups like pig ears. roasted, especially.
Sep 01, 2010 @ 14:06:17
heheh i love that shaving photo still!
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 14:20:41
Food absolutely brings back memories! The only thing is, the memory pigs’ ears bring back to me are of finding them buried down the side of the couch after my dog buried them (the dried kind) there…
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 16:39:20
OMG I don't know about not being squeamish- even looking at it is making me squirm, and even more so cos you say it feels like an ear! That photo of the ear being shaved is priceless though!
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 21:05:25
Something I won't eat… because it's ear! But you make it all look so delicious =p Mum makes a dish where she pickles it I think, can't quite remember and the fact I never ate any of it.
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 21:11:33
ooo. i think my bf would LOVE this! thanks for sharing! (:
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 21:25:41
Haha yum! I like pig ears too!
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Sep 01, 2010 @ 22:04:41
I don't know if I could cook something that I have to shave first! But it's very interesting. I'm glad you were able to relive a happy food memory!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 23:01:27
I didn’t think you would!
Sep 01, 2010 @ 22:46:01
Çok hoş olmuş,sevgilerrrr….
Sep 02, 2010 @ 01:00:18
I've never had this dish. Quick question. Would a did in boiling water make the hair easier to remove? I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
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Sep 02, 2010 @ 10:29:30
Good point… not tried that. BUt the shaver works perfectly except for hard to reach areas. One swish and the hair is gone!
Sep 02, 2010 @ 06:19:42
I've never eaten ear of something before. Grandma used to cook goat ear and she was such a fan of it that she didn't want to share it with anyone. But I'm not sure if I can cook and eat it.
Sep 02, 2010 @ 08:01:07
That is hilarious, shaving your pig ear haha. Love it. Looks delicious.
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Sep 02, 2010 @ 09:49:40
Oh, my! I am sure they are very tasty, but I am still squeamish with unusual dishes. I am sure they are very good when you know how to prepare them. I will need to stick with pork chops!
Sep 02, 2010 @ 11:09:12
I do not mind eating them – the crunchy texture I like it. I don't prepare and cook them though. I have the Spicy version when I visit Chinese restaurants.
Sep 02, 2010 @ 13:19:51
OH MY HONEY!!!! Good for you for trying something crazy!! Love your site.
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Sep 02, 2010 @ 14:31:33
Very cool! We recently had a course with pig three ways – pork belly, cheeks, and feet. They should have added the ears too!
Sep 02, 2010 @ 16:59:28
EW I am sorry, but ears?!
Sep 02, 2010 @ 17:13:11
Hahha!! Yah…. EARS! They are so delicious… yum yum
Sep 02, 2010 @ 19:10:39
I love that shaving shot too! They look really good all sliced up – nom nom nom.
Sep 02, 2010 @ 20:18:31
"There is nothing squirmish about handling the ears. It feels just like a ear."
LOL! I'm sure that doesn't do much to put anyone at ease
I'll pretty much try anything once, and would certainly give these a go. Hard not to associate pig ears with pet food though, as pet food shops are really the only place you commonly see them around here.
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Sep 03, 2010 @ 01:37:05
I saw when you tweeted these photos hehe looks DELICIOUS!!
Sep 03, 2010 @ 05:32:17
Love pig's ears but I've never actually seen a whole pig's ear before!
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Sep 03, 2010 @ 10:24:26
Haha I can't say I remember growing up as a kid, eating pigs ears hahaha. I love the look of the final product, looks really good.
Sep 03, 2010 @ 14:05:24
OMG, respect!!
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Sep 03, 2010 @ 19:20:09
penny, I salute you! I'll never bring myself to prepare this dish. It's been a long, long time since I last tasted pig ears!
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Sep 04, 2010 @ 11:45:28
I remember my mum getting pig ears from the market for our dinners. How I miss it now that I'm in Australia! I've been thinking about it more than usual recently for some reason, and now after seeing this post I want it more than ever. Time for me to seek out some pig ears methinks…
Sep 04, 2010 @ 14:52:37
Please do seek it out. It tasted really good
Sep 04, 2010 @ 22:34:57
Doubt I'll ever bother to make these as, although I've always enjoyed their cartilage crunch, I don't find I can eat too much of it. Perhaps too gelatinous-y?
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Sep 05, 2010 @ 23:03:46
See this sentence “It just feels like an ear” means I can’t read any more. I am a squeamish foodie
Sep 11, 2010 @ 00:01:33
Hahaha.. I love pigs ears and I’d love to make this at home just to see my bf’s face go green! Especially if he sees me shaving the ear!
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Sep 12, 2010 @ 10:35:57
[…] Liquid gold or use this stock – check out my pig ears recipe […]
Sep 16, 2010 @ 01:51:45
We turn then to silk purses where I came from.
Sep 16, 2010 @ 09:05:43
And how do you do that? Please share!
Sep 17, 2010 @ 00:23:34
Fun! I may try this. If so, it will be a double-first. I’ve never had Pig’s Ear before and I’ve never had to shave my food! Thanks… Nice pix
Sep 17, 2010 @ 00:27:02
Hhaa! It was my first time shaving pig ears too!