At the table
Take a slice with a little ya cai and plain rice. Share the dish and let hot pieces cool slightly. The preserved vegetables are strongly seasoned, so a small amount flavours a mouthful of rice.
Contains pork and is neither vegetarian nor vegan. Soy sauce and packaged ya cai seasonings may contain soy or wheat; check the actual products if you have allergies. Honey and cooking wine may be used. Confirm ingredients and shared utensils for dietary restrictions, and ask about chilli rather than assuming every version is mild.
Chopped or longer-cut ya cai may be used, and other regional shaobai versions use different salted vegetables. Mei cai is a possible substitute, with a different preserved-vegetable character. Honey or sugar, starch-thickened gravy, cooking wine, chilli and Sichuan pepper vary by recipe; a green vegetable garnish is optional.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Chopped or longer-cut ya cai may be used, and other regional shaobai versions use different salted vegetables. Mei cai is a possible substitute, with a different preserved-vegetable character. Honey or sugar, starch-thickened gravy, cooking wine, chilli and Sichuan pepper vary by recipe; a green vegetable garnish is optional.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Rich pork, salty-savoury preserved greens and soy seasoning, with a gentle sweet finish. The selected version contains no chilli; other preparations may add chilli or Sichuan pepper.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Soft skin, tender lean meat and yielding layers of fat, with finely chopped preserved vegetables that absorb the cooking juices. The skin is softened by steaming, not crisp crackling.
- How it’s made
- Cook skin-on pork belly, colour the skin with soy sauce and honey or sugar, briefly fry it, then soak and slice. Arrange skin-side down in a bowl, cover with prepared ya cai and steam until tender. Invert onto a plate; some cooks lightly thicken the juices before pouring them over.
Chopped or longer-cut ya cai may be used, and other regional shaobai versions use different salted vegetables. Mei cai is a possible substitute, with a different preserved-vegetable character. Honey or sugar, starch-thickened gravy, cooking wine, chilli and Sichuan pepper vary by recipe; a green vegetable garnish is optional.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Chongqing. Associated with Sichuan.
About this regional connection
Chongqing: Documented Sichuan-Chongqing home and banquet shaobai tradition; selected Yibin ya cai preparation. Sichuan: Documented Sichuan-Chongqing home and banquet shaobai tradition; selected Yibin ya cai preparation.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有四川咸烧白吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A savoury bowl-steamed banquet dish
Shaobai belongs to the home and banquet cooking of Sichuan and Chongqing. In the Yibin ya cai version, pork and preserved vegetables steam together in a bowl. Turning it out reveals the arranged meat while leaving the flavourful greens underneath.