Pork Dong Po

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg pork belly with rind
• 2 tbsp oil (peanut oil)
• 6 spring onions
• 2 tbsp ginger, finely diced
• 1 tsp garlic clove(s), finely diced
• 60 g sugar
• 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce, dark
• 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce, light
• 125 ml rice wine
• 125 ml water
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp chili sauce, hot
• Cornstarch to thicken the sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Remove any bones from the pork belly. Blanch the meat in a pot of hot water for 10 minutes, drain well, and pat dry thoroughly. Heat oil in a pan until very hot and fry the meat until crispy brown all over. Cover, as the rind will splatter a lot. Bring spring onions, ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, and water to a boil in a pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the meat, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 2.5 hours. Remove, drain well, and broil the rind for another 10 minutes to crisp up. Strain the stock, thin with a little water if needed, and season with salt, pepper, and a little hot chili sauce. Thicken with starch. Cut the meat into thin slices and serve with the sauce. Serve with mantou, Chinese steamed buns.