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SHANGHAI-STYLE BRAISED PORK BELLY

This Shanghai-style Braised Pork Belly (Known as Hong Shao Rou in Chinese) is one of the most popular dishes in China. The texture of the pork is soft and it has a perfectly balanced savory and sweet flavor. You could spice it up a little bit by adding some dried chillies but my LO can't take spicy at all, so I've omitted it. It is usually cooked and served in a clay pot, but since I didn't have one at home, I just used my usual non stick wok :P 
It was so tender, almost melting in the mouth!
Serve with a bowl of hot rice.... Yumzzz!
Ingredients:

  • Approx 300g pork belly
  • 1 tbsp crushed rock sugar
  • 3 slices of ginger
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp Shao Xing wine/Chinese cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp light soya sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce
  • 2 cups water
  • Oil, for stir frying


  1. Cut the pork belly into 1-inch pieces. 
    Cut into 1-inch pieces.
    Blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes to remove any impurities. Rinse and set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a pan over medium fire. Add in pork belly pieces and pan fry til lightly browned on all sides. Toss in rock sugar and carefully stir til the sugar is slightly melted. Add in ginger, star anise and bay leaf. Stir fry for about 2-3 mins til fragrant.
  3. Pour in cooking wine, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce and water, and bring to a boil. Turn to low heat and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, or til pork belly pieces are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and add more water if it gets too dry. Once the pork is tender, if there is still a lot of gravy, turn up the heat and stir continuously til the gravy is reduced to a glistering coating. Serve immediately with hot rice.
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