Braised Arrowhead Roots with Pork Recipe (with Video)

Prepare the ingredients
1. Peel the arrowhead roots. I like to do this by first using the sprout as a handle, then peeling all around it. Then snap off the sprout, and peel the area that connected the sprout to the body. Rinse under water to remove any additional dirt.
2. Using the side of a knife, smack each arrowhead root until it breaks into 2-3 pieces with craggly edges. These edges create more surface area to hold onto the sauce better.
3. Peel the garlic cloves. Give each a light smash with the side of your knife. Alternatively, mince the garlic.
4. Slice the Chinese cured pork belly into 1/8th or 1/4th of an inch thick.
5. Wash and slice the celery stalks into 2-3 inch long pieces.
Cook the arrowhead root
1. Heat a pan on medium-low heat, and add neutral oil. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic and Chinese cured pork belly. Stir fry for 2 mins or until the garlic is golden, and some fat from the pork belly has rendered.
2. Add the soybean paste and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 mins to release their flavors.
3. Add the arrowhead roots, and stir-fry for another minute.
4. Add the water and sugar to the pan. Bring it up to a simmer, then cover the pan with a lid to let cook for 5 minutes, or until the arrowhead roots have softened slightly.
5. Remove the lid, and simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. The texture of the arrowhead roots should be slightly crunchy, but cooked through to the center (similar to a potato with a crunchy exterior).
6. Season with salt to taste. Finish with the celery and sesame oil. We want to maintain the crunchiness of the celery, so just give it a quick stir, and remove from the heat. Enjoy!