Chinese pork belly stew

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 kg pork belly
• 1 pack of dried tofu (Bai Ye Je)
• 70 ml rice wine, Chinese
• 70 ml soy sauce, dark
• 2 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick(s)
• 4 slices of ginger
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 tsp spice mix (five-spice powder)
• 100 g sugar
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• some salt
• 1 leek(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Hong Shao Rou

Cut the pork belly into fairly small cubes. Heat about 50 ml of oil in a large pan and fry the pork until golden brown. Then add the sugar, leek, ginger, garlic, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Stir everything until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Add the five-spice powder and stir for 2 minutes. Add the rice wine, stir, then stir in the soy sauce. Add 300 ml of vegetable stock (or water) to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan. Then reduce the heat. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Then add the tofu and simmer for another 30 minutes. Now increase the heat (e.g., to level 4). Add salt and season to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy.