GRANDMA’S STICKY PORK BELLY (KAI PALOW KHUN YAY)

This Chinese-style braise is a childhood favourite of mine that brings back happy memories every time I cook it.

SERVES COOKING TIME

4 60 MINUTES

★ 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

★ 1kg pork belly, cut into 2cm-3cm cubes

★ 4 baby shallots, finely sliced

★ 6-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

★ 10g ginger, grated, plus 25g, finely sliced

★ 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

(see tip, right)

★ 3 tbsp light soy sauce

★ 3 tsp brown sugar

★ 2 star anise

★ 2 cinnamon sticks

★ 3 tbsp oyster sauce

★ 3 tsp honey

★ 3 long red chillies, sliced

★ 1 litre stock or water

★ 2 carrots, chopped in chunks

★ bunch of Thai basil, leaves only

TO SERVE ★ ★

2 hard-boiled eggs steamed rice

1 Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the pork-belly cubes, shallots, garlic, grated ginger

and half of the sliced ginger.

2 Fry until the pork belly is lightly caramelised then turn the heat down to medium. Add the soy sauces, sugar, star anise, cinnamon sticks, oyster sauce, honey and two-thirds of the chillies. Combine well.

3 Add the stock or water and bring to the boil. Add the carrots and reduce to a simmer for 50-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced.

4 Take off the heat, mix in the basil leaves, the remaining chilli slices and sliced ginger, then serve with the hard-boiled eggs and steamed rice.

TIP

★ Sweet soy is a Chineseinfluenced sauce that is sticky and almost black – similar to the Indonesian staple kecap manis. Look for a brand such as Lee Kum Kee and seek it out in major supermarkets or from ocado.com.

EASY SWAP

★ Try using pork or beef ribs in place of the pork belly.