Asian-style braised pork belly

Ingredients

• For the pork

  • 500 g pork belly
  • 1 medium brown onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 2–3 garlic cloves
  • 30–45 ml soy sauce
  • 150 ml beef stock, plus 150 ml water
  • Chilli flakes or fresh chilli, to taste
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) brown sugar or honey
  • A small pinch of MSG (optional)
  • A little oil, for frying

• To finish and serve

  • ½ lime
  • 2 spring onions
  • Rice, to serve

Method

1. Cut the pork belly into bite-sized chunks. Slice the brown onion, cut the carrot into thin rounds and mince the garlic. Chop the fresh chilli, if using, and slice the spring onions.
2. Heat a large frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat and add a little oil. Add the pork belly and brown on all sides for 8–10 minutes, letting some of the fat render out. The pork does not need to be cooked through at this stage.
3. Add the onion and carrot. Fry for about 4 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute.
4. Add the beef stock, water, 30 ml soy sauce, brown sugar or honey, and the MSG, if using. Stir together, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover with a lid. Simmer gently for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender. Add a splash of water if the liquid reduces too quickly. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions while the pork simmers.
6. Remove the lid and increase the heat slightly. Simmer for 5–10 minutes to reach your preferred consistency, keeping plenty of sauce: aim for somewhere between a broth and a thick glaze. Taste and adjust using the notes below, adding some of the remaining soy sauce if needed.
7. Squeeze in lime juice to taste and sprinkle over the spring onions. Serve over freshly cooked rice, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.

Notes

• Allow around 90 minutes for cooking, including the longer 60–75-minute simmer. Chunky pieces of pork belly may need longer to become tender.
• Use weaker beef stock to keep its flavour from dominating: 150 ml stock topped up with 150 ml water. Keep the chilli kick and avoid reducing the sauce too aggressively.
• If the sauce tastes too beefy, add lime juice and a little water.
• If it is too salty, add water.
• If it is too bland, add a little soy sauce or MSG. Add extra soy sauce towards the end rather than making the initial broth too salty.
• If it is too rich, add lime juice.
• If it is too sharp, add a small amount of sugar.
• If it is too thin, simmer uncovered for longer, keeping enough sauce to serve with the rice.