Lucky red braised pork belly

This dish is just one of a traditional eight-course banquet. Chinese food is all about balance, so each dish works together. This is a clean, light pork belly soup to compliment the other foods served as part of the banquet.

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  3:10 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g pork belly, sliced into 3 x 4 cm pieces 
• 1 tbsp Hong Qu (red rice grains)
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• pinch of salt
• ½ tbsp of sugar
• 5 cm piece ginger, finely sliced
• 3 black cardamoms, bruised
• coriander sprig, to garnish

Marinating time: 30 minutes

Instructions

Place the pork belly into a large bowl.

Place the rice grains into a mortar and grind to a fine powder.Transfer to a bowl. Add the Chinese cooking wine, and mix well. Add this to the pork belly. Massage the liquid into the flesh. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Add the salt, sugar, ginger and black cardamoms. Bring to the boil, skimming any impurities from the surface.

Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours or until tender.

Garnish with coriander.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.