Southern-Style Braised Pork Belly (Red-Braised Pork)

Ingredients

• Tools: Wok (Clay pot preferred, aluminum pot second; High-pressure cooker works too; Avoid iron or copper pots)
• Main Ingredient: Pork Belly (Belly)
• Sub-ingredients: Oil, Rock Sugar, Dark Soy Sauce, Cooking Wine, Sweet Leaf/Oriental Bay Leaf, Cloves, Ginger, Salt, Scallions, Boiling Water, Cold Water, Garlic, Sichuan Pepper

Steps

1. It is recommended to view the 'Simple Stir-fry Sugar Color' tutorial before starting.
2. Cut the pork belly into large chunks that can fit in the pot first (approx. 5–6cm wide). Do not cut into cubes yet.
3. Slice ginger (each slice approx. 3mm thick).
4. Bring boiling water to a boil.
5. Cold water is simply tap water.
6. Cut the white parts of the scallions into small sections (small scallions are best, regular onions work too).
7. Cut garlic cloves in half lengthwise; do not smash them flat, or they will be difficult to remove when reducing the sauce later and may affect the final taste.
8. Divide the sub-ingredients into two 'prep packs':
9. **Pack A (Deodorizing)**: 2 slices of ginger, 2 sections of scallion.
10. **Pack B (Stewing)**: The remaining 4 slices of ginger, scallion whites, garlic cloves, Sichuan pepper, cloves, and sweet leaf. Keep this in a small bowl.
11. Place the large chunks of pork in cold water with 20ml cooking wine and Pack A. Boil for 15 minutes to remove blood/scent, then remove and wash clean.
12. Remove the blanched pork belly and let it cool slightly (until not too hot to handle). Cut into cubes with sides of approx. 3cm x 3cm x 3cm. (The meat tightens after blanching, making it easier to cut evenly than raw meat. The final 3cm chunk shrinks to about 2.5cm, which is the ideal size for eating and ensuring it cooks through fully.)
13. Heat oil in a wok to make sugar color. Note: For this recipe, use **'Operation 2'** mentioned in the tutorial. When the sugar syrup is covered in dense small bubbles, quickly pour in Pack B (ginger, scallion white, garlic, Sichuan pepper, cloves, sweet leaf) to stir-fry and fragrant.
14. After 5-10 seconds of stir-frying, **do not add boiling water yet**. Immediately pour the blanched pork belly into the wok. Stir-fry over high heat to evenly coat the meat with sugar color and sear out the grease. Once the meat aroma is released, pour in boiling water just enough to submerge all the meat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 50-60 minutes (40 minutes in a high-pressure cooker).
15. Add 10ml cooking wine.
16. Cover until boiling, then open the lid every 25 minutes to remove the floating oil and scum.
17. When the water level has reduced to 3/5 of the height between the meat's highest point and the pot bottom, turn to medium heat and remove all sub-ingredients except the meat and water. Start reducing the sauce.
18. Open the lid, remove from heat when the sauce becomes thick and viscous (remember, do not burn it completely dry).