Description
Chinese Braised Pork Belly is so easy to make. However to get that melt-in-your-mouth consistency that makes this dish so addictive, you will need to braise it for 2 hours at least. If you have an Instant Pot, it’s done in just 30 minutes – 20 minutes on a pressure cooker, 10 minutes on sauté. Bookmark this one folks… it’s a keeper!
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g/1.1lbs pork belly slabs
- 400g/14.1oz firm tofu (also known as tau kwa)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled whole and set aside
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 small red onion/4 shallots
- 1 knob ginger, sliced
- 4 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 2 pieces 1-inch sticks cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups water + more at the end
- 1/3 cup Chinese wine
- 5 tablespoons premium dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
- 1 teaspoon 5-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- spring onion or coriander, for garnish
Instructions
- To start, hard boil eggs. Once cooled, peel and leave eggs whole. Set aside.
- Place pork slabs in a large bowl. Pour hot boiling water over to remove scum and any unpleasant smells. Allow to soak for 10-15 minutes before discarding the water. Rinse clean under running water.
- Season the pork belly with salt.
- Set the IP (Instant Pot) to sauté. With some oil, brown the pork belly on both sides. If fat renders out, discard any extra oil leaving just enough to sauté the garlic, ginger, onion until translucent. If cooking over the stove, be sure to use a good cast iron pot and sauté everything as instructed.
- Deglaze the pot with Chinese wine and water, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add all the sauces, aromatics, sugar and spices.
- If cooking in an IP, set to pressure cook for 20 minutes. Cover and let the IP do its thing.
If cooking over the stove, bring the liquids to a boil, Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 2 hours, or until the pork belly is tender. Check the water level periodically and top up if the water level drops. Stir now and then to ensure nothing burns at the bottom. - Meanwhile, cook some rice in a rice cooker and set aside. You can also use this time to blanch some vegetables. Set aside.
- Cut up the firm tofu into big cubes and set aside.
- For IP: wait for 10 minutes to natural release, before quick releasing. Remove the lid.
- Scoop out excess oil from surface (for both IP and stove method). I fished out about 1 cup.
- Once that is done, return the IP setting to sauté function or turn the fire on the stove up to medium heat.
- Add whole hard-boiled eggs and firm tofu (cut into cubes).
- Whether cooking on the stove or with the IP, simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. After the flavours have deepened, add a touch more water (about 1/2 cup) to yield a saucier result.
- Garnish with coriander and serve over hot rice with a side of your favourite vegetables (eg. blanched broccoli or baby kailan.)
Notes
- You can replace pork belly with leaner cuts of pork (pork shoulder butt) or mix it in.
- For a vegan version omit pork belly and eggs and replace with more firm tofu, tofu puffs and carrot. You can also add shiitake, oyster or Chinese mushroom.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes - 2 hours
- Category: Main
- Method: Instant Pot or Stove
- Cuisine: Asian