Ingredients
1
kg (2.2 lb) piece pork belly
7
cm (3") length fresh, young ginger, sliced lengthways into matchstick widths
Optional: 300 g (11 oz) broccoli, cut into small florets
8
cloves garlic, lightly crushed
5
slices old ginger (or 7 slices young ginger)
2
tbsp yellow wine (e.g. Shaoxing wine)
Thickening: 1 tsp corn flour, 1 tbsp water, stirred well before use
Directions
1.
Blanch the pork in a pot of boiling water. Throw out the water.
2.
Put the pork back in the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes.
3.
Heat a wok and add the sauce ingredients. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add the pork and cook each surface for a few minutes over a medium heat. Remove pork and drain well. Pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan and set aside.
4.
Clean and drain the wok. Heat the vegetable oil to a medium heat. Fry the pork on all sides until it is well browned, making sure the skin side is a little crispy.
5.
Steep the tea leaves in hot water for a couple of minutes, remove and set aside. Place the pork in the pot of water again–topping up the water if necessary. Add the tea leaves and simmer for 30 minutes.
6.
Place the spring onion stalks on the bottom of a steamer. Transfer pork to the steamer. Steam for 2 hours, turning the pork after 1 hour (because of the long steaming time, you may need to replenish the steamer water).
7.
Add the broccoli to the steamer for the final 5 minutes of cooking time (boil it separately for 3 minutes if there is no room in the steamer.
8.
Remove the pork to a serving dish and arrange the broccoli around it. Reheat sauce in the saucepan, adding and stirring in the thickening. Pour over pork and serve.
9.
Garnish with the young ginger slivers, which are meant to be eaten.
11.
The leftover simmer water makes a good pork stock.
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