Ingredients

• 75ml/2¾fl oz vegetable oil
• 800g/2lb pork belly
• cut into 7.5cm x 10cm/3in x 4in squares
• 7.5cm/3in piece fresh root ginger
• julienned
• 125ml/4½fl oz rice wine
• 6 tbsp light soy sauce
• 250g/9oz yellow rock or palm sugar
• 4 star anise
• 150ml/5fl oz hot chicken stock (optional)
• 600g/1lb 5½oz floury potatoes
• such as King Edward or Maris Piper
• cut into equal-sized pieces
• 150g/5½oz butter
• chopped
• 8 saffron strands
• soaked in 1 tsp milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 spring onions
• trimmed
• finely chopped

Directions

• Cook the squares of pork belly in a pan of boiling water for five minutes
• then drain
• pat dry with kitchen paper and set aside to cool.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the squares of boiled pork belly
• skin-side down
• in batches
• and fry for 6-8 minutes
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Turn the pork belly squares over and fry for a further 3-4 minutes
• or until crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining batches of pork belly.
• Bring all of the remaining ingredients to the boil in a heavy-based saucepan. When the mixture is boiling
• add the fried pork belly and reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Continue to simmer the mixture for 45-50 minutes
• adding a little of the chicken stock to the pan
• as necessary
• if the mixture starts to dry out.
• Meanwhile
• for the mashed potatoes
• boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 15-20 minutes
• or until tender. Drain well
• then mash until smooth using a potato masher or ricer.
• Stir the butter and saffron-infused milk into the mashed potatoes until well combined
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the spring onions.
• To serve
• spoon a portion of the spring onion mash into the centre of each of four serving plates. Place two to three squares of pork belly on top of each serving
• then spoon over the sauce.