One time Thi made this for me at home, and then I obsessed, begged, pleaded, and finally persuaded her (a recurring theme) to make it for a staff meal back in our lunch days.
It’s super comforting and homey—and it gets me a little bit closer to half of Thi’s Chinese heritage (she’s half Taiwanese/Fukien and another half Cantonese/Hong Kong . . . and she was born in Vietnam . . . if you’re keeping track).
2–4 SERVINGS
TAIWANESE PICKLED LICORICE CUCUMBERS:
8 Persian cucumbers, washed and patted dry
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
10 tablespoons light soy sauce
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 pieces dried licorice root
MARINADE:
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 pinches white pepper
½ tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1½ teaspoons tapioca starch
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon black vinegar (Koon Chun brand)
½ tablespoon oyster sauce
½ tablespoon soy sauce paste (Ta-Tung brand)
½ tablespoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ cup Taiwanese pickled licorice cucumber liquid
MAIN:
¼ yellow or white onion, finely diced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup diced Taiwanese pickled licorice cucumbers
1½ tablespoons fried garlic
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
BALLS OUT
40–80 SERVINGS
TAIWANESE PICKLED LICORICE CUCUMBERS:
80 Persian cucumbers, washed and patted dry
6⅔ tablespoons distilled white vinegar
6 cups plus 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 cups sugar
3 cups rice vinegar
40 pieces dried licorice root
MARINADE:
20 pounds ground pork
1¼ cups light soy sauce
2½ teaspoons white pepper
10 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
5 tablespoons tapioca starch (or cornstarch if tapioca starch isn’t readily available)
SAUCE:
1¼ cups black vinegar (Koon Chun brand)
10 tablespoons oyster sauce
10 tablespoons soy sauce paste (Ta-Tung brand)
10 tablespoons light soy sauce
10 tablespoons five-spice powder
6⅔ tablespoons sesame oil
5 cups Taiwanese pickled licorice cucumber liquid
MAIN:
5 whole yellow or white onions, finely diced
1⅔ tablespoons kosher
salt Ground black pepper
1¼ cups minced garlic
5 cups diced Taiwanese pickled licorice cucumbers
¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons fried garlic
5 cups plus 2½ cups finely chopped scallions
1. FOR PICKLED LICORICE CUCUMBERS: Place whole cucumbers in a bowl and cover with water. Add white vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes. Next, drain liquid, remove cucumbers, cut off ends, and slice into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Combine cut cucumbers, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and licorice root in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and cool.
2. Transfer to a jar or container. Make sure cucumbers are fully submerged and covered. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.
3. FOR MINCED PORKED: Mix all the marinade ingredients with the pork in a bowl. Set aside and let marinate for 30 minutes.
4. MIX SAUCE INGREDIENTS: black vinegar, oyster sauce, soy sauce paste, light soy sauce, five-spice powder, sesame oil, and Taiwanese Pickled Licorice Cucumber liquid in a bowl. Set aside.
5. Heat some cooking oil in a pan on high heat. Once it’s hot, add marinated ground pork; flatten out on pan and let cook for 5–7 minutes. Make sure you get a good sear on the pork before turning over, then sear the other side.
6. Start breaking the pork apart in the pan until all the chunks, lumps, and chumps (= chunks + lumps, I’m corny, I know ha-ha) are pretty much gone. (If you are using a nonstick pan, don’t use any metal utensils or they will scratch the coating and little bits of it will get in your food!)
7. Lower heat to medium-high and add diced onions. Stir for 1 minute, then add salt, fresh black pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 more minute.
8. Dice Taiwanese pickled licorice cucumbers, then add, with fried garlic, to pan.
9. Finally, add sauce and scallions; cook and stir for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, plate over a bed of rice or in a family-style bowl, and garnish with freshly chopped scallions. Oh, Taiwanese comfort food . . . why did it take me so long to discover you and your amazing foods, Taiwan!