In a ziptop back or a dish just large enough to hold the pork, marinate the pork in both the soy sauces for 30 mins and up to overnight, stirring or flipping the pork once in between. If you’re in a rush, just let it sit while you do the next few step; any marinating time is better than nothing!
1.5 lb pork belly, 2 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 ½ Tablespoons dark soy sauce
In a mortar and pestle, pound the black peppercorns until fine, then add the garlic and cilantro stems and pound into a paste – it doesn’t have to be super fine, but there should be no big chunks.
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 10-12 Cilantro stems, 1 oz garlic
In a pot just large enough to fit all the pork snugly in one layer, put it on medium low heat and add the oil and the herb paste. Saute the herb paste for about 2 minutes or until it starts to turn golden.
1 Tablespoons neutral oil
Deglaze with the stock, scraping off anything that’s stuck to the bottom. Add the palm sugar, followed by the pork pieces and all of the marinade, making sure the skin is sideways so it is submerged. If you want to add the spices, add them at this stage. The amount of liquid should be at or slightly below the level of the pork pieces; if it is much lower, add a little more chicken stock or water.
1 cup chicken or pork stock, 3 Tablespoons palm sugar, Optional spices: 1 cinnamon stick 4-6 inches and 1 star anise
Bring to a gentle simmer on medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and cover the pot loosely, keeping the lid slightly ajar. Let the pork simmer gently for 1 hour, flipping the pork once or twice in between so the part that is above the liquid gets a chance to be submerged.
After 1 hour, open the lid and continue to braise for another 1.5 hours, or until the pork is completely fork tender (if you cut the pork smaller than 2 inches it may take less time). We want to keep the lid open during this stage to reduce the sauce, but keep the heat low and the bubbling very gentle so it does not dry up too soon. During this time, stir or flip the pork a few times so the part that’s out of liquid gets a chance to be submerged. The final amount of sauce (not including the fat) should come up between a third to halfway up the pork pieces; if it is drying up too quickly, add a splash of water.
Once the pork is fork tender, tilt the pot and use a thin ladle or spoon to skim off the fat from the surface; you can stop when you can no longer skim without losing a lot of sauce along with it. If not serving today, you can refrigerate and remove the fat once it’s solidified. Discard the fat, or keep it for cooking.
Most important step: final seasoning adjustment! At this point, the dish should look saucy, but not soupy. Taste the sauce; it should be strong and flavourful, but not too salty. If it tastes overly salty, add more water to dilute. If it tastes too mild, reduce the sauce a little bit further.
Serve with jasmine rice, ideally with a side of vegetables or a salad!
Jasmine rice