Soft and non-greasy Braised Pork Belly (with Abalone)
There are many ways to make braised pork belly. This method involves slightly more steps, but personally, I think it's the most delicious. Soft and non-greasy, even I, who usually hate eating fatty meat, can eat several pieces of fat pork belly. You can add abalone or not, but if you do, it becomes a dish that's perfect for entertaining guests! Next time, I'll share a simplified version of homemade braised pork belly. Everyone can give it a try and see which version you prefer~
Ingredients
Steps
Wash the pork belly, place it in a pot of cold water, and bring it to a boil. Let it cook for about two minutes, then remove. Rinse off any foam and drain for later use.
Clean the abalones. Select two good-looking ones and score them (just for aesthetics, haha). Cut the remaining abalones into pieces for later use.
Heat the pot slightly, then add the pork belly pieces. Pan-fry them on low heat until both sides turn golden brown, as shown. Remove the pieces using chopsticks and leave the oil in the pot. This step renders the fat from the pork belly, making it less greasy. If you find this tedious, you can choose leaner meat or just briefly stir-fry it.
The oil from frying the pork belly is enough for cooking. Continue on low heat, add a small handful of rock sugar, and stir constantly until the sugar slowly melts (this is the 'caramelized sugar' step often mentioned). The best state is when it melts completely, but that can be tricky as it might overheat and turn bitter. For beginners, I suggest stopping at the stage shown in the picture.
Once the rock sugar has mostly melted, add the pork belly and stir-fry.
Add hot water to cover the pork. Be sure to use hot water ♨️!! Then add 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 3-4 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 1 star anise, and a few slices of ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes to an hour. Make sure to simmer long enough as it makes the dish better! If the water level gets too low during cooking, add hot water.
About 10 minutes before finishing, add the abalones and simmer. Then, increase the heat to reduce the sauce. Serve on a plate, sprinkle with chopped spring onion, and it's ready!