Melt-In-Your-Mouth Braised Pork Belly

Richly aromatic and savoury, this traditional Chinese dish exudes layers and layers of soy sauce goodness. Impress your loved ones with this dish today; be sure to prepare extra servings of hot, steaming rice!

More commonly known as Lor Bak (卤肉), this classic Chinese dish isn't actually that hard to master! Simply gather the right ratio of spices and a good Dark Soy Sauce and let the simmering action work its magic.

Tip: If you don't eat pork, you can swap it out with other kinds of meat. There are no hard and fast rules in cooking this dish (though fatty meats do work best!)

Cooking Time: 2.5 hours | Serves 5 people

Ingredients

• 1 - 1.2 kg Pork Belly, Skin On

• 2 pieces or 400g of Taw Kwa (Soy Beancurd)

• 1 packet or 100g of Dried Tau Kee (Dried Beancurd Skin)

• 5 Eggs

• 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil

• 1/2 cup Hua Diao Wine (Cooking Rice Wine) - Optional

Soy Sauce Mixture

• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce

• 5 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Sugar

• 10 Red Onions or Shallots - Skin Removed

• 1 Bulb of Garlic, separated - Skin Removed

• 2 Cinnamon Sticks

• 4 Pcs Cloves

• 1 Tsp Five Spice Powder

• 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds (optional)

• 5 Pcs Mini Rock Sugar

• 4 - 5 cups of Water

Directions (Preparing the ingredients)

1. Place pork belly and Hua Diao Wine in a bowl. Pour boiling water over pork and let it sit for 10 minutes.

2. Chop blanched pork belly into 2cm long pieces and set aside.

3. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the eggs and boil for 10 minutes. Once done, deshell eggs and set aside.

4. Soak Dried Tau Kee in a bowl of hot water till soft. Slice up Taw Kwa into quarters.

(Braising the Pork Belly)

1. Add cooking oil to a heated pot over low heat. Stir in both soy sauces (Light and Dark).

2. Add the chopped pork belly into the pot and stir-fry till fully coated and cooked through.

3. Add Sugar, Red Onions, Garlic, Dried Spices and Rock Sugar into pot. Stir well and add 4 cups of water.

4. Place lid on pot and bring it to a boil on high heat. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to low/ medium and simmer for 1.5 hours. (Stir from time to time. Only add another cup of water if gravy dries out too much)

5. Add in Tau Kwa, Tau Kee, eggs and simmer over low heat for another 15 - 20 mins.

6. Ready to serve!

Here is a short video of how the dish should look like when it is almost completed. Look at that glistening piece of pork belly! :

Made too many? Store the leftovers in a closed pot at room temperature. Reheat them again before eating. The braised pork belly should keep well for the next 1-2 days.

Enjoy!

Signing off, Cher