Vegetarian Chicken and Braised Pork

First, scrape the skin of the pork belly clean with the back of a knife, then lightly roast the skin over a direct flame to remove hair roots and odors while allowing the skin to release some oil, which will help the final dish achieve a tender and glutinous texture. After roasting, use the back of the knife to remove any charred areas and impurities from the skin.

Boil a pot of water, add ginger slices and green onion segments, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add cooking wine; do not add the wine to cold water as it will leave a wine smell, and the wine flavor will evaporate. Then add diced pork belly cubes, blanch for two minutes, and remove to drain.

Heat a wok with rapeseed oil until hot. Ensure the oil is at a high temperature, then lower the heat and add the drained pork pieces. Begin by frying the skin side until golden, then fry the other sides. Once the pork is about 60% cooked, remove it from the wok.

Add a small amount of oil to the wok and heat it. Then add rock sugar and stir over low heat until caramelized.

Once the rock sugar caramelizes, add star anise and ginger slices. Then add the fried pork pieces and stir-fry. Add dark soy sauce and sweet fermented rice; stir-fry to mix. Be cautious not to add too much dark soy sauce; it's better to use less rather than more. If you find the dish lacks saltiness when finishing, you can adjust with a little salt.

Add boiling water to the wok—use boiling water, not cold water, to prevent the meat texture from tightening. Add enough water, preferably more. Once the soup boils, simmer over medium-low heat.

When the liquid in the wok reduces to one-third, add the vegetarian chicken and cook together. Finally, increase the heat to reduce the sauce, and the dish is ready to serve. You can add a touch of chicken seasoning for flavor enhancement before serving.