Red-Braised Pork Belly

Cut the pork belly into roughly 3 cm cubes. Place in a pot with 2 ginger slices and 15 ml cooking wine, then cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, skim, and cook for about 2 minutes. Lift out, rinse off clinging foam, drain thoroughly, and discard the blanching water. Wash the scallions; cut the whites into segments and finely slice the greens.

Dry the wok and pork well. Add no extra oil. Gently render the pork until lightly golden and some fat has released; remove the pork and leave only a thin film of fat in the wok.

Add 20 g rock sugar to the thin film of rendered fat. Heat gently, moving it carefully, until fully melted into an amber syrup with fine bubbles, then proceed immediately. Do not let it turn black or smoke.

Return the pork and toss to coat in the caramel. Add the remaining 2 ginger slices, scallion whites, 2 star anise, 2 bay leaves, and 1 small piece of cassia bark. Fry until aromatic, then add 30 ml light soy, 15 ml dark soy, and the remaining 15 ml cooking wine; toss evenly.

Add enough hot water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for about 50 minutes, turning occasionally. A chopstick should enter with little resistance while the cubes remain intact; continue braising until this stage is reached. Top up with a little hot water when the liquid runs low to prevent drying out.

Uncover and remove the star anise, bay leaves, and cassia bark. Increase the heat and turn the pork gently until the sauce is glossy and coats the cubes, leaving a little in the bottom of the wok. Lower the heat as it thickens to avoid scorching. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the sliced scallion greens.