Crispy Five Spice and Sichuan Peppercorn Pork Belly

Rick Stein has some amazing recipes and this has to be one of my favourites. This is hands down better than 80% of what is considered ‘authentic Chinese’ when eating out, which is questionable in quality, in many ways. The test is actually in the crackling; if you don’t get it right, forget the whole dish. Roasting pork belly like this is amazing on multiple levels. The pork belly is already marbled with beautiful layers of fat, so there is no need for additional oils. The meat, if cooked to the right temperature will be a little firm on the outside and will have a melt-in-your-mouth center. You actually have to use a tray to catch all of the excess fat. But don’t let that turn you off.

Again, FEMALE PORK ONLY. Male pork does not have the best smell about it. Always check with the butcher. I have found myself over the past month or so bombed with an ‘anti pork movement’ online, warning people of the dirtiness of the meat, relative to other meat options. Also it is believed pigs are 'quite close' in intelligence to humans. We could go on fine combing every eating choice we make, but what’s the point?  Most vegetarians relapse on bacon.

There is an old Chinese belief that anything with 4 legs on the ground and a back facing the sun is edible. I don’t agree with it completely, but let’s face it; it’s a resolutely resourceful idea.  

Ingredients

Serves five to six

1.5kg female pork belly (bone removed)

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

1 tsp black peppercorns

4 tbsp sea salt (2 for crackling)

2 tsp five spice powder

2 tsp caster sugar

Directions

Score skin of the pork belly, without hitting flesh in 1cm intervals. Pour boiling water over the skin and leave to drain. Dry meat with a paper towel.

Dry roast both peppers on a medium heat to release the aromatic flavours. In a mortar and pestle, pound all of the dry ingredients into a powder. Turn pork belly upside down and cover flesh well with powered rub. Set aside for 60 minute to allow the flavours to amalgamate.

Preheat oven at 230 degrees Celsius. Turn pork belly skin side up and rub 2 tbsp sea salt into the scores. This helps absorb excess moisture and makes for better crackling. Place pork on a rack, with a tray underneath to catch all excess fat. Blast bake for 30 minutes then reduce heat to 160 degrees, cooking for 30 minutes per 500g. Turn the pork half way into baking for evenly crisp crackle.

Chop and serve with Chinese vegetables and oyster sauce. . 

Caramelised Pork Belly Sliders

Beautiful bite sized buns made with Kylie Kwong’s Braised Pork Belly.

Quite a few years ago when I went travelling with some friends to Singapore and Japan I found a pair of thick framed glasses (when they were all the rage) that I wore for the hell of it. I was, without any hesitation nicknamed Kylie Kwong; partially in part because of sexual preference but mostly because in some strange way, I LOOKED LIKE HER. Raging, thick framed beauty cooking up a storm in the tiny kitchen of a hostel in Tokyo. So following in tradition, many years later I’ve taken one of Kwong’s best family recipes and used them to make the ultimate pork belly bun.

This two pronged recipe is quite lengthy, so I will break up the Ingredients into two parts; Kwong’s caramelised pork belly and my slider put together, which takes NO time at all.

Some of these ingredients may be hard to find, but between an Asian grocer and a more metropolitan supermarket you will find all the ingredients. ALWAYS ask the butcher for female pork belly. Male pork tends to have a pungent smell that is quite distinct and over powering at times.

Ingredients

Serves six

Kwong’s Caramelised Pork Belly

600gm female pork belly cut into 2.5cm cubes

1 cup brown sugar

3 limes, juice only

2 tbsp fish sauce

Red braising stock

2½ cups Shaoxing wine

1½ cups organic tamari

1 cup brown sugar

6garlic cloves, coarsely crushed

90 gm(18cm piece) ginger, thinly sliced

4spring onions, trimmed and halved lengthways

5star anise

2cinnamon quills

3pieces of orange rind, removed with a peeler

1 tsp sesame oil

Pork Belly Sliders

6 plain white buns

1 cucumber

1 bunch coriander/cilantro

Sliced pork belly

Directions

Start by boiling your pork belly to remove all impurities, then running under cold water. This only requires a 5 – 10 minute boil. Next, combine red braising stock and bring to the boil, then let sit and infuse for 30 minutes. When infused, add pork belly and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until tender. To make caramel, combine brown sugar and 250 ml water and simmer for 20 minutes until caramel forms. Soon after add lime juice and fish sauce. Slice pork belly and drizzle with caramel.

Steam buns as directed on packet. While buns are steaming, slice cucumber length ways. Place a slice of pork belly on the bun with cucumber and coriander and finish with a drizzle of caramel 

Steamed Black Bean Pork

I’ve been eating this dish for as long as I can remember. Steamed black bean pork is a Cantonese staple served in the home and also at some restaurants, mostly yum cha. It takes many subtle flavours to empower pork ribs and a distinct black bean. There are two substitutes for pork; the first is chicken, using wings or breast and the second is tofu, as a vegan option. I like tofu puffs, bought at Asian grocer. Also always ask the butcher for female pig, the male has a pungent, dirty smell. It costs no extra for you or the butcher!

Chinese black beans are readily available in sealed packages at any Asian grocer, always! My favourite thing about Chinatown other than eating was trawling through Asian grocers, #gaysianatheart

There is nothing more to this dish than good marinating and intuition, and it’s easy done. My parents never use measurements for this recipe and I do the same, but for the purpose of this post, I’ve given my personal approximations. I like robust, salty and tender goodness. Always look at what you’re cooking with and cook with feeling, altering the measurements to your taste.

Ingredients

Serves four

250g  pork spare ribs

2 tbsp black beans

¼ cup soy sauce

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 shallot/scallions diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp white sugar

½ tsp salt

Directions

Start by placing the semi hydrated black beans in warm water for five to ten minutes. Combine all ingredients except the corn flour with pork and massage the meat. The sugar will tenderise the meat and remove the slightly bitter edge of the black beans with a subtle sweetness. The last ingredient to add is the corn flour; this will thicken the remaining sauces and coat the pork.

Leave the pork to rest and marinate, allowing the flavours to meld – this is key!! Once marinated steam for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Thick, dark green Chinese vegetables are always really nice to pair with this dish. They are really clean, but intense with natural flavour. 

Rice Congee: Nourishment from the Motherland

Chinese Congee, aka, ‘jook’ is an Asian cure-all rice soup. Many countries in the Asian region have a history of the soup with many ingredient variations. From China, it was thought to be served during times of famine. For me it’s a nostalgic, penny pinching breakfast, lunch and dinner that I LOVE. My dad always used to make this soup as I was growing up, especially when I was sick. Nostalgic food has a really funny way of comforting you when you need it to. 

The idea is to cook the rice in a heavy weight of water or stock until it breaks up and forms a porridge-like consistency. Jook is served with a deep fried bread stick in many places too. I went to Chinatown yesterday and found a store that sold fresh bread sticks, so I made a huge batch today. 

Ingredients

Serves four

9 cups chicken stock

1.5 cups white jasmine rice

2 scallions/shallots

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

Salt and white pepper to taste

Soy sauce to taste

Directions

Dice garlic, ginger and scallions (leaving ½ scallion for garnish). In a saucepan, quickly heat ingredients in sesame oil and follow with stock (brings out the flavors in hot oil). Wash rice before adding to stock to remove all starch. Once everything has been combined, heat to the boil then reduce and let simmer for two hours. The rice should start to break apart and a thick consistency will start to form. 

The beauty of this soup is that you can add whatever you want, depending on your taste; chicken, duck, century eggs, fish, vegetables or tofu. Depending on what you make the soup with, it can be well nourishing.