Tung po pork

Tung po pork is a popular Chinese dish that features slow-cooked pork belly. The pork is cooked in a flavoursome braise comprised of ginger, garlic, spices, rock sugar and Shaoxing cooking wine. Garnish with a sprinkle of sliced spring onion and serve with steamed rice to soak up the delectable sauce.

Tung po pork Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 300 g – 400 g piece pork belly, cut square
• 5 slices ginger
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 3 spring onions, plus extra to serve
• sesame oil, to season
• 2½ tsp Knorr chicken powder
• 2½ tsp MSG
• potato starch and water, for the slurry
• steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• steamed broccoli, to serve (optional)

Braise

• oil, for cooking
• 2 slices ginger
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into 2 pieces
• 1 star anise
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 50 g piece rock sugar
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) thick caramel cooking sauce (see Note)

Instructions

1. Using a blowtorch, burn off any hair on the pork belly. In a large heavy-based saucepan, combine the pork, 5 slices ginger, 2 tbsp cooking wine and enough water to cover the pork. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, removing any scum from the water with a kitchen spoon. Remove the pork and wash well under cold water. Discard the cooking water.
2. Cut the pork belly, halfway through the skin and the meat, in a grid pattern to form 8 squares. Don't cut completely through the meat.
3. To prepare the braise, heat a generous drizzle of oil in a wok or heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat and fry off the ginger, garlic, cinnamon and star anise, until fragrant. Add the pork, bay leaves, rock sugar, Shaoxing cooking wine and cooking caramel to the pan. Ensure the pork is covered and add a little water if needed. Cover and braise the pork for 2 hours.
4. Cut the spring onions in half lengthways and then into thirds. Use these to line the base of a clay pot or a shallow bowl. Remove the pork from the sauce and transfer to the clay pot or bowl, with 1-2 spoonfuls of the braising liquid. Place in a steaming basket and steam for an additional 3 hours.
5. Transfer the braising liquid to a medium saucepan and season with sesame oil, chicken powder and MSG over medium heat. Combine the potato starch and water in a small bowl and add to the braising liquid and bring to the boil. Cook until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Slice extra spring onion for the garnish.
6. Remove the pork from the steamer and garnish with the spring onion. Serve the pork with steamed rice, broccoli and the extra sauce.

Note

• Thick cooking caramel sauce is a similar condiment to dark soy sauce and is used typically in Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian cooking to provide flavour and a rich colour. You can find it at Asian grocery stores, or online.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.