Sesame Oil Pork Jowl (Matsusaka Pork)

Steps

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1. 1
   Wash the ginger and slice it thinly.
   ▶ ≈0:59
2. 2
   Bring a pot of water to a boil and briefly blanch the whole piece of pork jowl just until the surface turns slightly white — no need to cook it through. This removes the meat's slippery texture, making it much easier to slice thinly against the grain afterward.
   ▶ ≈1:12
3. 3
   Once the blanched pork jowl has cooled slightly, slice it thinly against the grain. Note that the grain direction changes across the piece, so adjust your knife angle accordingly, and use a gentle back-and-forth sawing motion rather than pressing straight down.
   ▶ ≈3:12
4. 4
   Add a little oil to the pan and sauté the ginger slices over low heat until fragrant, cooking longer if you prefer a stronger ginger flavor.
   ▶ ≈5:47
5. 5
   Add water (more water than wine) plus a splash of rice wine, and bring the mixture to just below a boil.
   ▶ ≈6:34
6. 6
   Add the sliced pork jowl and stir in the first batch of sesame oil at this point — keeping the liquid at a gentle boil (around 100°C) prevents the sesame oil from overheating and turning bitter.
   ▶ ≈7:28
7. 7
   Add the rice-wine-soaked goji berries, and season with salt if desired.
   ▶ ≈8:40
8. 8
   Crack in the egg and simmer briefly so the broth takes on an eggy richness (this step is optional based on preference).
   ▶ ≈9:06
9. 9
   If you like a stronger wine aroma, turn off the heat before pouring in the goji-soaked wine; otherwise you can stir it in while still simmering.
   ▶ ≈9:20
10. 10
    Just before serving, drizzle in the second batch of sesame oil so it floats on top — scooping the meat through this layer gives each bite a stronger sesame aroma. Serve hot.
    ▶ ≈10:07