Caramelised pork belly, peanuts and apple
SERVES 15 AS A PARTY OFFERING or 4 AS A MAIN COURSE 700g pork belly
2 garlic bulbs, cut in half
100g dark muscovado sugar 150g golden granulated sugar 50ml fish sauce
50g ginger, finely grated
3 star anise
3 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
For the apples
20g butter
3-4 small, tart, red-skinned apples, cut into wedges
2tsp golden granulated sugar 1tbsp cider vinegar
To serve
2-3tbsp roasted, salted peanuts 1tsp mint leaves, finely chopped lime wedges (optional)
short bamboo skewers (knot or flag-ended)
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/ Gas 3. Score the rind of the pork. Place the garlic bulbs in a roasting tin and sit the pork on top.
Put the sugars into a saucepan with 100ml water and heat until they have dissolved. Add the fish sauce, ginger, star anise and chillies then pour over the pork.
Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours, basting