Soy-Braised Pork Belly with Star Anise

Chinese · Winter · 180 min · Serves 4 · By Lesapor Test Kitchen

This cozy and aromatic soy-braised pork belly is a classic Chinese dish perfect for winter. The rich flavors of soy sauce and star anise meld beautifully with tender pork, creating a comforting dish that's both satisfying and deeply flavorful. Enjoy it with steamed rice for a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups water
• 4 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 knob ginger, sliced
• 3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Flaky sea salt, to taste
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly cubes and brown them on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, add the light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar, water, star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic, and ginger.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Return the pork belly to the pot.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 2 hours, until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened.
5. Add the green onions in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season with flaky sea salt, to taste.
6. Serve the soy-braised pork belly hot with cooked white rice.