Cooking with Hema: Rayne Makes 48-Hour Crispy Sticky Pork Belly
Rayne’s Christmas 48-hour Crispy Sticky Pork Belly
Rayne Kirpalani, food stylist and photographer, was trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London and frequently made this crispy, sticky pork belly for her university friends while studying abroad. It takes time and effort to pull this dish off, but it’s all worth it when that sweet and salty umami flavour hits your tongue.
YIELDS: 8 Servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 5 star anise
- 1 tablespoon rice
- wine
- 2 tablespoons Chinese 5-spice, separated
- 2 pounds pork belly
- 2 packs cornstarch, for dusting
- For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- Sea salt
- Red chilli flakes
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 fat knob of ginger grated
- 1 stick of lemongrass chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
- Spring onion
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Add the carrot, onions, and celery and cook until slightly golden brown.
- Add the chicken stock into the pot and bring to boil, adding a pinch of salt.
- Once the stock has come to a boil, remove from the heat. Add sugar, star anise and rice wine to the pot, gently mix until sugar is dissolved, and cool until it reaches room temperature.
- Rub the Chinese 5 spice on the meaty side of the pork—not the skin!
- Place the raw pork belly in a baking tray, pour the stock in on the side—again, not on the skin!—and fill until only half the pork is covered. *Secret Tip*
- Cover with foil and place in the oven for 3 to 4 hours until cooked to your liking.
- Let the pork cool completely. Strain the leftover water and set aside for later (You’ll need it for the glaze, so keep it in the fridge).
- Once the pork is chilled, place a heavy tray on top of it, press down and leave the pork to flatten overnight, for 24 hours.
- A day later, cut the pork into cubes. You decide how thick—it’s your pork belly anyway.
- Mix 2 packs of corn starch with 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice together.
- Coat the pork in cornstarch and Chinese 5 spice until fully coated and deep fry until golden brown.
- Now, make your glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the leftover stock to a rolling boil until half is reduced. Discard of any yucky stuff that comes to the top.
- In a separate saucepan, add in all ingredients for the glaze and bring to a gentle boil.
- Slowly add the reduced stock to the glaze. Add a little, taste it and then see if you think it needs more.
- Strain the glaze, removing any chunks of ginger, lemongrass and garlic chunks, so you’re only left with liquid.
- Taste and adjust with what you think it needs (You’ll know—usually it’s more ginger or more sesame oil).
- Once you are happy with the glaze, add the fried pork to the sauce and coat all completely to finish.
- Serve immediately and garnish with chopped spring onion.
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