Braised pork is a very common dish among different asian cultures. It mainly consists of pork belly braised over hours in a sweet, aromatic, savory sauce over hours. This results in an extremely tender meat that literally melts in your mouth! Growing up, I have eaten many different versions of this dish. Some versions of this recipe require caramelizing of sugar and incorporate different sauces such as fish sauce, oyster sauce, or Chinese cooking wine. This dish is very versatile and can be prepared in many ways. The version I am sharing with you is extremely easy to make and incorporates some of my favorite spices: star anise and cinnamon. This dish is best served over steaming hot white rice and will definitely satisfy your taste buds!
Cook Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
INGREDIENTS
1-2 lb pork belly, sliced in 2-3 inch cubes. The fattier the cut, the more tender the meat will be.
4 stalks green onion
7-10 cloves of garlic, crushed
4-6 thin slices of ginger
½ cup of oyster sauce
½ cup of dark soy sauce
¾ cup of soy sauce
32 fluid ounces of coconut water
16 fluid ounces of water
1-2 sticks of cinnamon
1-2 pods of star anise
4-6 soft boiled eggs
Thai chili peppers (optional)
RECIPE
1. In a nonstick pan without oil, sear all sides of the pork belly on medium heat. Do this until the pork belly develops a nice brown color
2. Once the pork belly is seared, remove the meat from the pan. In a large pot, add ginger, green onions, garlic cloves, star anise, cinnamon and Thai chili peppers to the bottom of the pot. Next, place the the seared pork belly on top.
3. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, coconut water, and 16 ounces of water to the pot. Turn heat on to a medium heat until the braising broth comes to a rolling boil. Partially cover the pot so some steam can escape. Allow to braise for about 2 hours or until the pork belly develops a dark red color and becomes tender.
4. Once the pork belly is tender, add the boiled eggs to the pot. Allow the braising process to continue for another 10 minutes or until the boiled eggs soak in the color from the braising broth. There will be a layer of grease that forms on top of the braising broth. Be sure to use a spoon to scoop out as much grease as you can. Add salt or sugar to your liking
5. Serve over white rice and enjoy!
CONCLUSION
This dish is so delicious. I really enjoy eating the fattier pieces and having the meat melt in my mouth, drenching my tastebuds with an perfect amount of umami. The star anise and cinnamon add another depth of flavor to this dish. This braised pork belly recipe is so easy to make and requires very little attention. The way I enjoy this dish is by starting off with a large bowl full of steaming white rice. I pour the braising broth over the rice so that the rice grains soak up all the flavor. I then get a braised egg and mash it into the rice so that the yolk mixes in well. Then I lay the tender pork belly on top of the bowl and enjoy! Rice acts as a great medium, allowing you to taste every component of this dish all in one bite. The amount of aprons I will award this dish is...
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