Twice-cooked Melting Pork Belly

Saw Gok Wan cooking this recipe on his TV show. Look so delicious and tender. Decided to look on Channel 4-4Food and found his recipes. Decided to have a go at it. It is so simple to prepare. This is gloriously sweet, sticky and melt-in-mouth yum....yum...yum...heaven

Ingredients:

• 1-1.25kg pork belly
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
• 5cm piece of ginger, peeled, bashed until roughlt flattened
• 2 whole star anise
• 3 spring onions, trimmed, white and greens separated
• 3-4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2-3 tbsp light soy sauce

For the glaze:

• 3-4 tbsp runny honey
• 1-2 tbsp light soy sauce

To garnish:

• 2 springs onions, sliced diagonally
• 1 red chilli, sliced diagonally

Method:

Place the pork belly, garlic, ginger,star anise, spring onions, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce into a large pan. Cover with hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer gently for 11/2 to 2 hours, turning the pork once or twice during the cooking process to ensure even cooking. Once tender remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 215C/195C for fan oven.

Remove the belly from the stock, remove the skin and a little of the fat below the skin. Place on a roasting tray lined with baking paper or parchment to make it easier to clean at the end of cooking. Mix together the glaze ingredients and pour over the pork belly. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning often, spooning the glaze over the meat until glossy.

Remove the belly from the oven and place on a serving plate. Slice and serve garnished with the chopped spring onions and chilli.