Braised pork belly is usually given its aroma with star anise or a spice bag, but fried shallots do the job extremely well. Serve it over a bowl of white rice and you have very good braised pork rice.

Recipe:
Group A:
Pork belly 900 g
Soy sauce 140
Rock sugar 34 g

Group B:
Rice wine 20 g
Water 1000 g
Star anise 4 g
Maltose 10 g

Group C:
Fried shallots 25 g (add more if you want it more aromatic)

Method:

Cut the pork belly into pieces about 10 cm wide and 3 cm thick, boil for 5 minutes over a high heat, then lift out and set aside.


Melt the rock sugar over a low heat.


Add the blanched pork belly and turn it in the sauce until evenly coloured.


Transfer the coloured pork belly into the group B ingredients, already hot. Once it returns to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for about 90 minutes. Add the fried shallots five minutes before the end. (Cook it longer or less, depending on how soft you like it.)


Pork belly soft enough to fall apart in the mouth — there is not much better.  


A bowl of braised pork rice like this, with all the old flavour, is well within reach.