According to the author this recipe is "reputed to be Mao Zedong's favourite dish. It is a speciality of Hunan, his home region. It is irresistibly rich and truly delicious. Enjoy with a simple bowl of steamed white rice and pak choi or a mixed vegetable stir-fry". I served it with jasmine rice and steamed Asian greens with a ginger and chili sauce. It was truly delicious!
Ingredients
800g pork belly
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp rock or caster sugar
3 Tbsp light soy sauce
3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
3cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and thickly sliced
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 dried red chillies
about 200ml water
3 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
Method
Bring a wide pan of water to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly.
Lower the pork belly into the pan (cut in half if it doesn't fit in whole) and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Skim off the scum and froth from the surface. Drain the pork and leave to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Cut the pork belly into 2cm cubes. Heat the oil and sugar in a cast iron pan over a medium heat. Once the sugar is melted and beginning to caramelise, add the pork pieces, skin-side down, and fry for a few minutes until the skin begins to caramelise.
Add the soy sauces, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and dried chillies to the pan and pour in enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer and then transfer to the oven. Cook for about 60 minutes until the pork is very tender.
Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
Boil the sauce until reduced and syrupy, then taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more sugar if you find it too salty. Stir in the spring onions, reserving a handful for serving, and return the pork pieces to the pan to warm through.
Pile the pork into a warm bowl, sprinkle with the remaining spring onions and serve at once.
Serves 4-6
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