a white bowl filled with soft cubes of pork in a rich dark gravy

Thai braised pork

Name: Thai braised pork
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 600g pork belly; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus a splash; 2 tbsp minced garlic; 4 coriander roots; 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns; vegetable oil, for frying; 3 tbsp rock sugar or coconut sugar; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 star anise; 4 cassia bark; 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine; coriander, to garnish; jasmine rice, to serve

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time2 hrs
- + marinating
Easy
Serves 4

Ingredients

600g pork belly
2 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus a splash
2 tbsp minced garlic
4 coriander roots
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
vegetable oil, for frying
3 tbsp rock sugar or coconut sugar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 star anise
4 cassia bark
1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
coriander, to garnish
jasmine rice, to serve

Method

STEP 1
Cut the pork belly into 7.5cm squares, and marinate in a little of the dark soy sauce for a few hours.
STEP 2
Roughly pound the garlic, coriander roots and peppercorns with a pestle and mortar, or whizz to a paste in a food processor. Stir-fry in 1 tbsp of oil for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from the pan and add the sugar – it will start to caramelise.
STEP 3
Add the pork belly with the garlic, coriander root and pepper. Add the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, 2 tbsp of dark soy sauce and 1 tsp of salt. Add the star anise and cassia bark, with 400ml of water, and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes until the pork is tender. Add more water if it is drying out – the pork should sit in a pool of dark, fragrant sauce. Serve with rice.