This delicious dish is often found at street stalls in Thailand. It's dark and rich, a bit salty and sweet and full of flavour from the spices.

Pork Belly Braised In 5 Spice Broth With Soft Cooked Egg & Fried Tofu

Pork Belly Braised In 5 Spice Broth With Soft Cooked Egg & Fried Tofu

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ready in: 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 kg of good quality pork belly, cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 2 tbsp table salt

For the spice powder:

  • Two 4 inch sticks of cassia bark (or cinnamon)
  • 6 star anise
  • 10 cloves
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds

For the paste:

  • 20 white peppercorns
  • A 2 inch piece of peeled ginger
  • 5 coriander roots
  • 5 cloves of garlic

For the braise:

  • 3 tbsp sunflower or other plain oil
  • 1.5 ltr chicken stock
  • 50g palm sugar
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce or Kecap Manis
  • 300g block of firm tofu
  • Oil to deep fry
  • 6 soft boiled eggs
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

First make the spice paste:

  1. Dry roast the spices in a frying pan (no oil) over a medium heat until fragrant and toasted. Allow to cool.
  2. Now hold back one toasted stick of cinnamon and 2 star anise, transfer the rest to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.

To make the pounded paste:

  1. Pound the white peppercorns in a pestle and mortar into a rough powder then add the ginger, coriander roots and garlic and pound into a coarse paste. Set aside.

For the braise:

  1. Add the pork belly chunks to a large pan and cover with cold water. Place on high heat and add the salt. When the pot boils drain the pork (throwing away the liquid) and wash under cold water. Set aside for later.
  2. Now in a heavy based pan place on a medium heat add the oil, when hot add the pounded paste, fry until light golden and fragrant.
  3. Now add the spice powder and fry for 30 more secs, before adding the chicken stock, sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce or Kecap Manis and bring to the boil.
  4. When boiling, add the blanched pork and reserved whole cinnamon stick and star anise. Turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook the pork gently on the stove for around 1.5 hours or until the pork is tender but the pieces are still holding together.
  5. While the pork is braising cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes and deep fry until golden. Set aside.
  6. When the braise is ready, turn off the heat add the fried tofu and soft cooked eggs, allow to sit for 15 mins so they can absorb the flavours. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Recipe courtesy of Singha beer.

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