Five spice belly pork with Asian greens Recipe

Five spice belly pork with Asian greens Recipe

  • 1.5kg/3lb 5oz boneless pork belly, with rind
  • 4 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
  • 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 pak choi, cut into quarters
  • 500g/1lb 2oz mixed Asian greens
  • 2cm/1in piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, cut into thin strips
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • 3 tbsp palm sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 red chilli, sliced
  1. To prepare the pork, pierce the rind side of pork with a sharp fork or knife until the skin is covered with fine holes.
  2. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and, using a large ladle, pour the hot water over the rind side of the pork several times. This is best done suspending the pork above the sink by a hook, but you can place it on a wire rack in the sink instead. Set the pork belly aside.
  3. Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the salt, pepper, five-spice powder and sugar and stir-fry the mixture for 3 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
  4. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, rub it into the flesh side of the pork. Hang the meat to dry for 8 hours or overnight in a cool place or in front of a fan. Alternatively, place the meat on a wire rack set above a roasting tin.
  5. To cook the pork, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
  6. Place the pork on a wire rack, rind-side up and roast for 20 minutes.
  7. Reduce the heat to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4 and continue to roast for 2 hours. Turn the oven back up to 230C/210C fan/Gas 8 and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and allow the pork to cool.
  8. For the greens, heat a wok, once hot, add the ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  9. To make the dressing, place all the ingredients into a pestle and mortar and pound to a rough paste.
  10. To serve, stir the dressing through the wok vegetables and scatter on a large plate. Cut the pork into small squares and dot around the plate. Garnish with the spring onions and chilli.
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