Ingredients

• 800g/1lb 12oz pork belly
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• bruised
• 80g/3oz galangal
• grated
• 4 bird’s-eye chillies
• 1 orange
• zest only
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 5 garlic cloves
• small bunch fresh coriander
• stalks only
• rapeseed oil
• to cover the pork
• bones from the pork belly (ask your butcher for these)
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 80g/3oz galangal
• chopped
• 4 bird’s-eye chillies
• ½ onion
• roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• small bunch fresh coriander
• stalks only
• 300ml/10fl oz shaoxing wine
• knob of butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 300ml/10fl oz coconut milk
• 250g/9oz jasmine rice
• pinch salt
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 4 dried bird’s-eye chillies or 40g/1½oz chilli flakes
• 1 sharp green apple
• such as Granny Smith
• grated
• 250g/9oz mangetout
• chopped
• 2 spring onions
• thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• few leaves savoy cabbage or similar greens
• shredded
• 1 lime
• juice only
• splash rapeseed oil
• pinch white sugar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Put all the pork belly ingredients
• except the oil
• in an ovenproof dish
• then pour in enough oil to fully cover the meat. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 1½–2 hours
• or until the meat is very tender. When the pork is ready
• a small knife should slip easily into the meat like it would with butter.
• Leave to cool. Wrap the meat tightly in cling film and press under a heavy weight. Leave in the fridge for at least 2–3 hours
• or longer if possible. Remove from the fridge and cut into serving-size portions.
• For the gravy
• put all the ingredients
• apart from the butter
• in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Strain 200ml/7fl oz of the liquid into a clean
• shallow pan and cook until it reduces to a gravy consistency. Stir in a big knob of butter to finish. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the coconut rice
• combine all the ingredients in a lidded saucepan with 100ml/3½fl oz water. Cover and steam on a very low heat until all the liquid is absorbed (for the best results do not stir the rice).
• For the chilli sugar
• blend the sugar and chilli in a food processor. Pass through a sieve to remove any larger pieces of chilli (this is important as it burns very easily at the torching stage in step seven).
• For the slaw
• combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• When you are ready to serve
• finish the pork. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle then place the pork fat-side down in the pan. Leave for a couple of minutes without moving it
• then turn over and cook the underside. Place on a board and sprinkle with the chilli sugar. Use a chef’s blowtorch to melt the sugar and caramelise lightly. Leave to cool for a few seconds.
• Serve the pork on the board with the gravy alongside in a jug. Divide the slaw and rice between serving plates.