Hunan Home-Style Braised Pork Belly

Put the pork and some of the ginger in cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off foam. Drain and cut the pork into 1.5 cm cubes.

Heat the oil and rock sugar gently, stirring until caramel-colored. Carefully add the drained pork and coat it. Add the remaining ginger, bay leaves, star anise, cassia, soy sauces, wine and salt; stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add hot water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Continue until the meat is tender and cooked through, at least 63°C with a 3-minute rest. Reduce the sauce over medium heat when about a third remains.