Estimated Nutrition

Per serving

Ingredients & Substitutes

Instructions

1. 1

   Score the skin of 1.5 kilograms of boneless, skin-on pork belly in a crisscross pattern, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of Chinese five-spice powder and 1.5 teaspoons of sumac, then rub this mixture evenly over all sides of the pork belly, ensuring it gets into the scored skin.

3. 3

   Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then carefully place the spiced pork belly, skin-side down, into the hot pot and sear for 8 to 10 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy, then remove the pork and set it aside.

4. 4

   To the same pot, add 3 slices of fresh ginger, 3 smashed cloves of garlic, 2 star anise pods, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.

5. 5

   Pour in 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, then add 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 40 grams of rock sugar, and 2 cups of hot water or chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.

6. 6

   Return the seared pork belly to the pot, skin-side up, ensuring it is mostly submerged in the braising liquid, then bring the liquid back to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and slow-cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the pork belly is fork-tender.

7. 7

   Carefully remove the pork belly from the pot and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes; skim off any excess fat from the braising liquid, then bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce by half until slightly thickened, then slice the rested pork belly into thick pieces and arrange on a serving platter, spooning the reduced braising sauce generously over the pork belly, and garnishing with 2 roughly chopped green onions.