3 Soy Sauce Braised Pork Belly
Recipe byA simple dish by any definition. The ingredients are staples in most Asian kitchens and the cooking procedure is simple and does not require special skills. The cooked dish, however, has the taste and aroma of something that was prepared by a highly skilled cook. That's the magic of cooking with three soy sauces and combining them with the right spices.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram pork belly
- 6 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- ½ cup Shao Xing rice wine
- 8 cloves garlic leave whole
- 1 shallot cut into halves
- 1 two-inch knob ginger sliced
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into strips about two inches thick.
- Place the pork belly in a pan and pour in just enough water to cover.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.
- Cover the pan, set the heat to low and simmer the pork belly for an hour to an hour and half or until fork tender.
- Turn off the heat and leave the pork in the sauce for thirty minutes.
- Carefully lift out the pork and transfer to a cutting board.
- Strain the sauce, discard the spices, pour back into the pan and boil uncovered to reduce some more (see notes after the recipe).
- Cut the pork belly into slices and arrange over rice in bowls.
- Spoon some of the sauce over the pork and serve.
- Pour the remaining sauce into small bowls and serve on the side.
Notes
How long the sauce should be simmered depends on how much reduction you're aiming for. I normally turn off the heat after 10 minutes. If you want a thicker and stronger flavored sauce, continue simmering for another five to seven minutes.