Pork belly braised to perfection.
Recipe by chef Lau Ping-lui, chef de cuisine at Tin Lung Heen.
*Featured in Crave’s Issue 87, September 2017
COOK TIME
2 hours 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 2)
250g pork belly
22g rock sugar
22g light soy sauce
22g dark soy sauce
30g Shaoxing wine
5g balsamic vinegar
Braising aromatics
0.25g star anise
0.25g black cardamom
1g cinnamon
2g bay leaves
15g shallot
15g ginger
15g spring onions
STEPS
1. Prepare the pork belly
- In a lightly oiled frying pan, sear the pork for one minute to remove any excess fat. Set aside.
2. Braise the pork belly
- Heat some oil in a large pot, and fry the braising aromatics until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, black vinegar, rock sugar and pork belly, then enough water to cover the meat. Braise over medium heat for one and a half to two hours until the pork is tender.
3. Rest the pork belly
- Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any fat that has collected on top of the liquid. Add the Shaoxing wine and let the pork belly rest in the braising sauce for 30 to 45 minutes. Test to see if the pork is soft enough. If not, bring the pan to the boil, remove from the heat and repeat the resting process. It’s possible to prepare the pork one day before serving.
4. Serve
- Cut the pork belly into smaller pieces and serve with the braising sauce.