Twice Cooked Chinese Melting Pork Belly
Ingredients
Piece of pork belly about 700-900g, rind left on but unscored
Poaching liquor:
330ml Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 star anise
3-4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and bruised
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp light soy sauce
Roasting Glaze:
3 tablespoon runny Honey
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Garnish:
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced diagonally
2 spring onions, sliced diagonally
Method
Place the Shaoxing rice wine, star anise, ginger, garlic, spring onions and soy sauce into a large pan or wide sauté pan
Add the pork belly and pour over enough water to generously cover the meat, about 300ml and bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1½–2 hours, or until the pork is very tender, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking
Leave the pork in its cooking liquid until cool enough to handle
Preheat oven to 200°C/180C fan/gas 6
Remove the pork from the liquid and place it on a board
Using a knife, carefully remove skin
Line a flat baking tray with baking paper to protect the tray, and place the pork on the lined tray
Mix together the honey and soy sauce and pour the mixture over the pork. It will run down and off the pork
Place the pork in the oven and roast for 20–30 minutes, turning often and basting with the glaze to achieve a glossy lacquered look
Remove from the oven and place on a serving plater
Slice the pork into large chunks and garnish with the spring onion and chilli
