「Shangzhi Braised Pork Belly」

Ingredients and amounts

• 500 g skin-on pork belly
• 50 g Shangzhi (a type of edible fern)
• 10 g scallions
• 2 g ginger
• 3 star anise
• 15 g honey
• 5 g vinegar
• 15 g Shaoxing wine
• 1.5 g MSG (optional)
• 10 g soy sauce
• 15 g egg crepe (thin omelette), about one sheet
• 1 g salt
• 200 g chicken broth
• 10 g sesame oil
• 2000 g lard (for deep frying, about 60 g consumed)

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Scrub the pork belly clean. Boil until 60% cooked (the meat turns white). Remove and immediately rub the skin with honey and vinegar.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Heat lard in a wok over high heat to 80% hot (about 200°C, with heavy smoke). Deep fry the pork skin-side down until golden red. Remove and soak in the reserved cooking liquid until softened. Slice into 10 cm long by 0.6 cm thick pieces. Arrange skin-side down neatly in a steaming bowl.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Cut 5 g scallions into 2.4 cm sections and 5 g into diagonal slices. Peel and slice 1.5 g ginger, mince 5 g. Cut the egg crepe into isosceles triangles with 2.4 cm sides.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Boil the Shangzhi until soft. Drain, remove tough stems and impurities, wash clean, and cut into 3 cm sections. Mix with 5 g soy sauce, 1 g salt, and 10 g lard. Spread over the pork. Mix 100 g chicken broth with 5 g soy sauce, 0.5 g salt, and 15 g Shaoxing wine. Pour into the bowl. Add ginger slices, scallion sections, and star anise. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes, then reduce to low heat and steam for 1.5 hours until tender. Discard ginger, scallion, and star anise. Strain the liquid. Invert the pork onto a serving plate.

5. 5

   Step 5

   In a wok, combine 100 g chicken broth and the reserved liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add ginger, scallion slices, and MSG. Stir in the egg crepe pieces. Drizzle with sesame oil and pour over the pork.