Mum’s pork cha-shu.

SERVES 4-6

This is one of my favourite and easiest recipes from my mum – pork cooked in black tea. The tea's tannins tenderise the meat and reduce the fat so it becomes light and clean. You’ll also use the marinade to dress the salad so there is no waste – it is so simple and so good. The pork tastes even better after sitting for a day in the marinade.

2–3 black teabags (Ceylon or English Breakfast are nice)

500g pork shoulder or fillet

50g mixed salad leaves

1 tbsp spring onion, finely sliced to garnish

Rice, to serve

CHA-SHU MARINADE

100ml soy sauce 100ml mirin

3 tbsp sake

3 tbsp rice vinegar

In a large stockpot, bring 1 litre of water to the boil. Add the teabags and let them steep to make a very strong black tea. Remove the teabags, transfer the pork to the stockpot and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and use a piece of baking paper to make an otoshi-buta (droplid). Cook the pork for about 40 minutes, until it is firm to the touch and its juices run clear when you pierce the meat with a knife. While the pork is cooking, make the marinade. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil for 2 minutes. Cool the sauce and pour it into a rimmed tray or bowl.

Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the pot and coat it in the marinade.

Let the pork cool.

To serve, arrange some salad leaves on each plate and dress with the leftover marinade. Thinly slice the pork and place it on the plate, and garnish with spring onion. Serve accompanied with rice. Leftover pork keeps in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.