Puddledub Pork & Fifeshire Bacon, Clentrie Farm, Auchtertool, Fife, Scotland.

Chairman Mao’s Red-Braised Pork

(Mao Shi Hong Shao Rou)

  • 1 lb. pork belly (skin optional)
  • 2 tbsp. peanut oil
  • 2 tbsp. white sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
  • 3/4 in. piece fresh ginger, skin left on and sliced
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 dried red chillies

    • a small piece cassia bark or cinnamon stick light soy sauce, salt and sugar a few pieces scallion greens

    1. Plunge the pork belly into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 3-4 minutes until partially cooked. Remove and, when cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized chunks.
    2. Heat the oil and white sugar in a wok over a gentle flame until the sugar melts, then raise the heat and stir until the melted sugar turns a rich caramel brown. Add the pork and splash in the Shaoxing wine
    3. Add enough water to just cover the pork, along with the ginger, star anise, chillies, and cassia. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.
    4. Toward the end of the cooking time, turn up the heat to reduce the sauce and season with soy sauce, salt and a little sugar to taste. Add the scallion greens just before serving.