Chifa chicharrones

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Put the belly in a large deep roasting tray, adding the roughly chopped garlic, onion, carrot, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns and 1 tbsp salt. Cover the belly with water, wrap tightly with foil and put in the oven for 7 hours.

• step 2

  Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool in the cooking liquor. When cooled, remove it from the roasting tray and cut into 3cm cubes, cover and chill for at least two hours or overnight to firm up.

• step 3

  Using a fryer, or in a deep pan no more than 1/3 full, heat the oil to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Lower the pork belly cubes into the oil using a slotted spoon, frying two or three at a time at the most. Put a lid on the pan immediately, as the oil will spit and bubble from the pork fat for the first 30 seconds or so. Be careful and stand well back. Fry the chicharonnes for 2 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for 1 minute.

• step 4

  Toss the crispy chicharonnes with the kecap manis or sweet soy sauce in a bowl and leave for 1 minute to soak it up.

• step 5

  To serve, stack several chicharonnes up, pouring some of the sweet soy over them and garnish with coriander and red pepper.