Ingredients

• Pork belly: 800 g
• Eggs: 5
• Star anise: 1 piece
• Green onion: 1 stalk
• Ginger: 20 g, sliced
• Garlic: 2 cloves, crushed
• Cinnamon stick: 1 piece
• Bay leaves: 2
• Rock sugar: 1 handful
• Cooking wine: 2 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Dark soy sauce: 1 tbsp
• Light soy sauce: 3 tbsp
• Oyster sauce: ½ tbsp
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG): 2 g
• Five-spice powder: ½ tsp
• Cooking oil: 5 tbsp
• Fermented bean curd: 1 cube (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut the pork belly into 2 cm cubes, making them as uniform as possible.
2. Place the pork in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, and skim off any foam. Let it boil for about 3 minutes.
3. Prepare the aromatics: cut the green onion into sections, crush the garlic, and slice the ginger.
4. Heat a pan and add the oil. Heat the oil to about 120°C (250°F), then add the rock sugar. Stir until the sugar melts and turns a reddish color.
5. Add the blanched pork belly to the pan, followed by the aromatics. Stir-fry everything for about 10 minutes, until fragrant, being careful not to overcook the meat so it stays tender. Transfer everything to a clay pot or an enameled pot.
6. Add enough hot water to cover the pork (do not use cold water, as it can make the meat tough).
7. Prepare the sauce by mixing light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, 5 pieces of rock sugar, five-spice powder, and Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (if desired).
8. Add the sauce to the pot, along with the fermented bean curd if using.
9. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally if needed to prevent sticking.