Shanghai Red-Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)

⏱ 110 min · Serves 4

Glossy cubes of pork belly, slow-braised in caramelised sugar, Shaoxing wine and soy until the fat turns silky and the sauce clings like lacquer. Rich, sweet-savoury and utterly worth the wait — serve with plain steamed rice and something green.

Per serving: 790 kcal · 36.0g protein · 13.0g carbs · 66.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 kg skin-on pork belly, cut into 3-4cm cubes
• 3 slices fresh ginger, plus 2 slices for blanching
• 3 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 40 g rock sugar (or 2 tbsp caster sugar)
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 star anise
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 600 ml hot water (or unsalted stock)
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
• Steamed rice and blanched greens, to serve

Method

1. Put the pork cubes in a pot with cold water to cover, add 2 ginger slices and bring to the boil. Simmer 3 minutes, skimming the scum, then drain and rinse the pork under warm water. Pat very dry.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or wok over medium heat. Add the pork, skin-side down where possible, and fry 5-6 minutes until lightly golden. Tip out all but 1 tbsp of the rendered fat.
3. Push the pork aside, add the rock sugar and let it melt into a light amber caramel, about 2 minutes, stirring gently. Toss the pork to coat in the caramel.
4. Add the ginger and spring onions, stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute.
5. Stir in both soy sauces, star anise and cinnamon, then add enough hot water to almost cover the pork. Bring to the boil, then reduce to the barest simmer, cover and cook 75-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is meltingly tender.
6. Remove the lid, fish out the aromatics, and raise the heat. Boil hard for 8-12 minutes, spooning the sauce over the pork, until it reduces to a thick glossy glaze that coats each cube. Taste and add salt if needed.
7. Serve hot over steamed rice with blanched greens, spooning over plenty of the glaze.