pork and ginger hotpot
rating:1.5kg pork belly in one piece, rind on
12 spring onions
1.5l pork or chicken stock (or water)
15cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
100ml light soy sauce
75ml Chinese rice wine
25ml rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp Demerara sugar
3 star anise
1 good pinch dried chilli flakes
1 tsp groundnut oil
1 big handful coriander leaves
Noodles, to serve
Remove the bones from the belly and cut it into rectangular chunks, about 2.5cm x 5cm. Cut five spring onions in half and pop into a pan with the stock, two-thirds of the ginger, garlic, soy, rice wine, vinegar, sugar, star anise and chilli. Bring to a simmer and add the meat. For 15 minutes or so, skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then cover and simmer very slowly for two hours, turning occasionally, until the pork is tender.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the liquid into a clean pan (ideally through muslin or a fine chinois), skim off as much fat as you can, then boil hard to reduce and concentrate the flavours.
Thinly slice the remaining onions on the diagonal. Warm the oil in a frying pan and sauté the remaining ginger until golden on both sides. Return the pork to the stock and heat through. Prepare the noodles following the packet instructions, then tip into warmed bowls. Divide the meat between them, ladle over lots of broth and sprinkle on the spring onions, sautéed ginger and coriander.
