Recipes

Pork Belly with Apple Slaw and Chilli Caramel

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Ingredients

  • •
    800g piece pork belly
  • •
    1 litre master stock
  • •
    1 large red chilli, seeded and sliced
  • •
    1 large pinch spring onions, chopped
  • •
    2 cups tapioca starch
  • •
    100ml light soy sauce
  • •
    2 tablespoons five spice powder
  • •
    1litre vegetable oil
  • •
    Black vinegar

Apple slaw

  • •
    6 mint leaves, torn
  • •
    1 pinch coriander leaves
  • •
    6 Vietnamese mint leaves
  • •
    6 shiso leaves, torn
  • •
    50g cabbage, shredded finely
  • •
    20g red cabbage, shredded finely
  • •
    ½ green apple, sliced finely

Nuoc Cham

  • •
    2 garlic cloves
  • •
    50ml fish sauce
  • •
    50ml lime juice
  • •
    50ml rice vinegar
  • •
    2 red bullet chillies, sliced
  • •
    70g caster sugar

Chilli caramel (200ml)

  • •
    500g caster sugar
  • •
    500ml water
  • •
    3 small red chillies, chopped
  • •
    12 star anise
  • •
    100ml fish sauce
  • •
    100ml light soy sauce

Method

  1. 1.
    Nuoc Cham: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes before using.
  2. 2.
    Chilli caramel: In a saucepan add the sugar and the water and bring to the boil. Continue to boil until it starts to caramelize. Add the chillies, star anise, fish sauce and the soy being careful that the caramel does not splash you. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes then turn off completely and leave for 5minutes. Strain and set aside for later use.
  3. 3.
    To make: Pre-heat oven to 180°C. In a baking tray, combine the pork and master stock. Cover with foil and cook in oven for around 4 hrs checking occasionally to ensure the master stock has not reduced too much. If it has, top up with a little more master stock or water.
  4. 4.
    Once cooked, allow to cool slightly and remove the pork, place it on a tray and refrigerate.
  5. 5.
    When completely chilled, cut the pork into 8 pieces and place into a bowl. Add the soy sauce completely coating the pork then pour out remaining sauce. Add the tapioca starch and five spice making sure you coat the pork pieces evenly, dust off any excess starch.
  6. 6.
    In a wok heat the oil to 170°C. Add the coated pork pieces to the wok being careful that the oil doesn’t boil over, you may need to do this in 2 batches. Fry the pork for around 7 mins remove from the oil. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
  7. 7.
    To make the slaw, combine all ingredients and nuoc cham in a bowl and toss to combine.
  8. 8.
    Heat chilli caramel in a wok or frypan. Add spring onions, chilli and the fried pork and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer pork to a bowl, pouring the caramel mixture over the top. To serve, top pork with apple slaw and a side dish of black vinegar.