½ lb | 225g fat pork with skin, washed and cut into 1-in | 25mm cubes
2 dsp soy sauce
¼ cup Chinese wine (ló chiu)
6 pieces of tao fu bi (optional)

WITH TAO FU BI

Put the pork in a pot with Chinese wine, soy sauce and enough water to cover, a pinch of salt if needed. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently till quite tender.

In the meantime, cut the squares of tao fu bi in halves, tie a knot in the centre and soak in a bowl with boiling water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda for 5 mins. Squeeze two or three times in this water so that the inside of the knots can get soft. Strain and wash two or three times in plain cold water to get all the soda out. Then squeeze these knots almost dry. Put this with the cooked pork and simmer for 10 mins to get all the taste in. If there is not enough liquid to simmer the tao fu bi, add a little water.

WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS

Boil the pork the same way as with the tao fu bi until half tender. In the meantime skin two bamboo shoots taking away the tough bottom; cut all the tender parts in chunks and add to the half cooked pork. Simmer till all is quite tender.