Braised Pork Belly

Serves 4

What You Need

  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 tsp Sichuan pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin seed
  • 1kg pork belly, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp date syrup (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1L coconut water
Braised Pork Belly | Pork Recipe | Claire Joy Cooks | Cape Town

What To Do

Lightly toast the spices in a pan until fragrant. Place in a pestle and mortar and allow to cool. Once cooled pound into a powder.

Mix the pork belly in a bowl with the spice powder, date syrup, soy sauce and garlic cloves and set aside.

Heat a large pot and place a little peanut oil and then place the pork belly in skin side down and sear until golden. Then add the coconut water and mix. Place the lid on the pot (leaving a little crack open) and simmer on a low heat for 3hrs, stirring every 30mins.

Serve with rice and fried greens.

Braised Pork Belly | Pork Recipe

What You Need

Fried Greens

  • Fried Greens
  • 1 large bowl lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 1 bag green beans, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 thumb size piece of ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp spicy tamarind sauce (or sriracha sauce)
  • ½ tsp sesame oil

What To Do

Lightly fry the beans until slightly softened, then add the garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, spicy tamarind sauce and sesame oil. Toss well and then lastly add the lettuce and fry for 1 minute.

Braised Pork Belly | Pork Recipe | Claire Joy Cooks