Red-braised pork

This is a classic Chinese dish from Sichuan, hong Shao Rou. Tender pork with a thick sweet, savory sauce.

You will need

• Fresh Pork belly in one piece. About 1 kg.
• A piece of fresh ginger. About 2 cm. Unpeeled and smashed.
• A couple of scallions.
• Oil to fry in.
• Dark soya. A couple of tbsp.
• Sherry. A couple of tbsp.
• Salt.
• Brown sugar.
• A couple of star anise.

Do like this

1. Put enough water to cover the pork belly in a pot and bring it to boil. Blanch the meat in the boiling water for a couple of minutes.
2. Take the meat up, rinse it in cold water and cut it in bite size pieces.
3. Warm oil in a skillet or wok and fry the meat until it get some colour. Add sugar, ginger, the green parts fo the scallions, soya, sherry and star anise. Add water to cover and season with salt.
4. Bring to a boil, lower the temperature.
5. Let it simmer for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
6. Serve with rise and the white part of scallions finely chopped.