W55xD60xH60mm, China

Got your appetite ready for the Chinese New Year fest?  Would this slow cook pork belly make your mouth watery?

Fear not for the cholesterol, this is in fact a piece of stone which naturally reassemble the most desirable cut the “5 layers belly” where five thin layers of muscles is sandwiched in between layers of fat.

The most famous pork belly dish in China would have to be the Dong Po Rou, invented by the Sung scholar Su Dong Po.  He was arrived in Huang Zhou as the new governor only to find half of the West Lake was covered with a kind of wild grass, he ordered for the grass to be cleaned up and developed a waterway system that not only prevented flooding but also made use of the water for cultivation.  For the revival of the beautiful West Lake, the residents brought also their precious pork and order them to him.  Su Dong Po accepted all the offerings, but instead of keep them all for himself, he asked his chef to cook the meat with his special recipe and give a piece to every household.  They have never tasted anything so delicious and here it is;

INGREDIENTS

• 1 piece of pork belly 120x120mm
• a couple of spring onion, cut half in length
• few slices of ginger
• strings
• 50g sugar
• 120g Chinese wine or dry sherry
• 70g light soya sauce
• water

METHOD

1. tied the pork belly as if you are putting a ribbon on a present
2. blanch it quickly in boiling water and take out
3. in a casserole, put the spring onion and ginger slices at the bottom, then put in the pork skin side down
4. follow by the sugar, soya sauce and wine, then top up with water, put the lid on.
5. bring to boil then turn the heat down to the smallest and slow cook for 30 mins then turn the meat over so that the skin faces up and cook for another 30 min.
6. cut the meat into four piece and serve with a hot bowl of rice.
7. enjoy!