Hong Shao Rou

Ingredients:

3 round Tab sugar;

3 cups chicken stock, low sodium;

2 - 2" x 1/4" pc cinnamon;

2 star anise;

2 cloves garlic, smashed;

3 1" x 2" slices of ginger, skin on;

1/3 cup soy;

1/4 cup Shao Xing wine or dry sherry;

1 TAB dark soy;

2 lbs pork belly, lean and fat, skin on, cut into sections approx 4" x 4".

Preparation:

In enough water to just cover the pork, poach belly in simmering water (“cuan” 汆) for 4 minutes or so, then remove. When the pork has cooled enough to handle, cut into cubes appx. 1 1/2" x 2" and in two batches, brown in a hot wok or cast iron skillet with 3 or 4 Tab peanut oil or lard. Be careful, this entails lots of spattering…Remove and set aside. In the same pan, on med heat, add the sugar and stir until melted and beginning to caramelize. Add back in the pork belly pieces, and toss until coated and further browned with caramelized sugar.

Transfer the pork and residual oil/sugar mixture to a 3 -4 quart sand pot or sauce pan; add the chicken stock to cover pork pieces, cinnamon, star anise, garlic, ginger, light soy, wine, and dark soy. Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for approximately 1 hour, until pork lean layers are tender but still moist. As soon as meat is done, remove meat and boil to reduce sauce. When liquid has reduced to desired consistency, turn off heat. Return pork belly to the pot and mix to coat; serve in sandpot or plate with garnish of cilantro and carrot or red pepper slivers