Double-cooked sticky pork belly

Photo Aaron McLean

Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 2 hours
Serves: 4

Pork belly. Double-cooked. Sticky. You’re welcome.

Ingredients
       1kg pork belly, diced
       ¼ cup light soy sauce
       3 tbsp brown sugar
       2 tbsp dry sherry
       1 cup pineapple juice
       ¾ cup water
       2 star anise
       cornflour for coating
       1 litre cooking oil
       ½ tsp sesame oil
       finely sliced spring onion to garnish
       lettuce leaves to serve

Instructions

1. Place the pork in a glass bowl. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry and pineapple juice and pour over the pork. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the meat and marinade to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water and star anise. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer until the pork is tender, up to two hours.
3. When the pork is very tender, remove from the heat. Strain and reserve the liquid to make a sauce.
4. Coat the pork lightly with cornflour. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 170°C. Add the pork and fry until golden brown.
5. Place the reserved liquid in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a thick consistency, then add the sesame oil. Add the crispy pork pieces and combine.
6. Serve topped with spring onions and in lettuce leaves as pictured.

Useful tip

• When the pork hits the deep fryer, take care as it'll spit and splutter at you!