Red Braised Pork Belly 紅燒肉 (hong2 shao1 rou4) Recipe EP04

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: white sugar

Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index while white sugar is more economical.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces salt intake, while tamari is gluten-free.

Chop the spring onion, cutting the white part into one inch long pieces and finely chopping the green part for garnish.

Cut the pork belly into bite-size pieces, ensuring the skin is still attached.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.

Add the white part of the scallion and ginger, sautéing until golden brown.

Add the bay leaf, star anise, and cinnamon stick, stirring for one minute.

Add the pork belly pieces to the pan and sear the outside to lock in flavor.

Add the dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, stir-frying quickly.

Pour in the Chinese rice wine and glaze the meat.

Add enough hot water to cover the meat.

Add the rock sugar and cover the pan, lowering the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the Chinese black vinegar and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the liquid reduces to around 30 percent of its original volume, leaving the pan uncovered.

If the liquid is taking too long to reduce, turn up the heat a little.

Add salt to balance the sweetness, approximately 1/8 teaspoon.

Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce further, cooking until it becomes syrupy and thickly coats the meat.

Sprinkle the chopped green part of the scallion over the dish before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level:

Allergens