Chinese Red braised

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Chinese Red braised

September 26, 2025

Chinese Red Braised, often called “Hong Shao”, is a classic cooking style in Chinese cuisine that delivers deep flavor, rich color, and comforting warmth. This method is especially popular in Shanghai and across many regions of China, where it is used to prepare meats like pork, beef, chicken, or even fish. The dish is defined by its signature reddish-brown glaze, achieved by slow-braising ingredients in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, star anise, ginger, and other aromatic spices.

Preparation Times: 30 Mins

CookingTimes: 30 Mins

Calories: 500gPer

Serves: 4Times

Ingradients

Pork belly (or beef/chicken/tofu) – 500g, cut into chunks
Soy sauce (light) – 3 tablespoons
Soy sauce (dark) – 1 tablespoon (for deep color)
Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) – 3 tablespoons
Rock sugar or brown sugar – 2 tablespoons
Ginger – 4–5 slices
Garlic – 3–4 cloves, lightly crushed

Instruction

Prepare ingredients – Cut meat into bite-sized chunks. Slice ginger, crush garlic, and cut scallions.
Blanch the meat – Place meat pieces in boiling water for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and set aside.
Caramelize sugar – Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok/pot. Add rock sugar or brown sugar, stir until it melts and turns golden brown.
Add meat – Quickly add the blanched meat and stir-fry until evenly coated in the caramelized sugar.