Braised Pork in Soy Bean Paste
Tender braised pork belly served up with a thick soy bean paste spiced with cinnamon and star anise. Use meat cuts like pork belly and pork shoulder for the most tender texture!
Ingredients
- 600 g pork belly or meaty spare ribs, cut into 2 slabs
- 2 li water or more as needed
- 5 ginger slices
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and lightly bruised
- 1 spring onion chopped into sections
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 star anise
Seasonings for the sauce:
- 1½ tbsp salted soy bean paste
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 5 tbsp Chinese wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar or more as needed
- 2 tbsp maltose or honey
For the slurry
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 1 tbsp water
For garnish
- Some chopped spring onion or cilantro
Instructions
Cook the pork
- In a Dutch oven or skillet, heat up 1 - 2 tbsps oil over high heat. Once hot, stir fry ginger, garlic, and spring onion for 15 - 20 seconds until they release their fragrance.
- Add cinnamon bark and star anise, and stir-fry for a few more seconds. Add water and bring to a boil.
- Tip in the seasonings and gently put in the pork belly. Bring to a boil again.
- Then reduce heat until the liquid is at a steady simmer. Braise for 2 - 2.5 hours, or until the pork is as tender as you'd like it. Note: If the liquid reduces too quickly before the pork is tender enough, add a bit more water as needed, and continue braising until the meat reaches the tenderness you want.
- Dish out the pork and set aside to cool.
Cook the sauce
- Strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan (discard the solids). If there isn't much liquid left, add 2 - 3 tbsps water and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Sweeten with sugar and maltose (or honey), to your taste, to balance the saltiness of the soy bean paste.
- Thicken with corn starch slurry until it has the consistency of a thick glaze. Note: If you added more water to the sauce, you may need to prepare extra slurry for thickening it.
Garnish and serve
- Slice the braised pork into 2-cm thickness (or thinner, if you prefer). Arrange on a serving plate. Spoon the thick sauce all over and garnish with chopped spring onion or cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 449kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 464mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 27IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg
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