Red-Cooked Pork

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds pork belly
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 3 star anise
• 1/2 cup shaoxing rice wine
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions

Parboil the pork belly in a large pot of water for 20 minutes. Skim off any foam or scum on the surface. Transfer the pork belly out and let it cool to room temperature. Save 1 1/2 cups of pork stock for later use.

Cool the pork belly slightly, then cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a skillet or dutch oven, combine ½ cups of water and the sugar and cook over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to caramelize, add the pork to the skillet and brown on all sides, stirring occasionally.

Once browned, add garlic, scallions, star anise, dark and regular soy sauce, cooking wine, and reserved pork stock to the skillet. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours with lid on. Stir periodically to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom.

Remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and reduce the sauce to a rich and thick consistency. Serve with steamed rice.