Five spices for one pork belly
Print Edition
FRESH Chinese cinnamon, dry cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and whole peppercorns from Sichuan are the ingredients that make up the famous five-spice powder. The pungent mixture gives dishes a balanced hit of sweet, savory, bitter and sour.
In Chinese cooking, it’s an essential base seasonings for an array of dishes, and is particularly popular among restaurant chefs. Besides the five basic ingredients, other spices such as ginger, nutmeg or cassia may also be added, depending on the recipe.
Five-spice powder should be used in small amounts. Highly aromatic Chinese five-spice powder enhances the taste of stir-fried vegetables, chicken, and especially fatty meats like pork and duck. The powder is used in most Cantonese roasted ducks, as well as in beef stews. Sometimes it is set out on tables to be used as a food seasoning, much like ground pepper or salt.
Crispy pork belly
Ingredients
Around 500g pork belly
Salt as needed around 1/2 tablespoon
2 teaspoons cooking wine
Vegetable oil for brushing
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
1 scallion
3 slices of ginger
Mixed seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Directions
1. Wash the pork belly carefully, then put it in a large pot with water, slices of ginger, scallions and cooking wine. Start to boil the ingredients and cook for around 15 minutes until the pork belly is about 70 percent done. If you stick a chopstick in the meat, you shouldn’t see any bloody liquid. Take it out, rinse it under running cold water and drain it with a kitchen paper.
2. Use prods or toothpicks to poke some holes on the rind. Sprinkle salt on the surface evenly.
3. Turn the pork belly over, pour soy sauce over it and then sprinkle the other seasonings. Set aside for around 2 hours in cool place.
4. Wrap the lean meat with silver paper and expose the skin surface only (this way, the meat won’t burn).
5. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius and then roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the skin gets crispy. Take out the pork belly, remove anything burned and brush some vegetable oil on the surface, then continue to roast until the skin is crispy enough.
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