Chinese-style red pork david herbert

Chinese-style red pork
1.5kg pork belly, with skin
200ml light soy sauce
4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 whole star anise
2 cloves garlic
6 spring onions, roughly chopped
4 slices ginger, 4mm thick
1 tablespoon demerera or light brown sugar
Pinch dried chilli flakes
600-700ml salt-reduced chicken stock or water
Extra sliced spring onion, to serve, if desired
Steamed rice or noodles
Steamed Chinese vegetables
Blanch pork belly in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Rinse and dry, and when cool enough to handle, cut into 5cm lengths. Put pieces in a large saucepan or casserole and add soy sauce, rice wine, star anise, garlic, spring onion, ginger, sugar, chilli flakes and enough stock or water to cover meat. Bring to boil over low heat, then cover and simmer very gently for about 2 hours, turning meat occasionally. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Skim any fat off sauce, then simmer liquid until it has reduced a little. Taste to check seasoning, then return pork pieces to sauce and heat through. Serve with extra spring onions, rice or noodles and steamed Chinese vegetables. Serves 6