Chairman Mao's pork

Photograph Phil Webb props Zoe Harrington Styling me Taken from 'My Asian Kitchen' Murdoch Books

This Hunan specialty, which was one of Mao’s favorite dishes, is a bit like having pork candy. The meat is braised in a sugary, rice wine and soy liquid and slowly softens, coated in a sticky sweet-and-sour sauce. Chinese rock sugar makes it very authentic and you can easily buy it online, but feel free to use sugar instead.

Chairman Mao’s pork belly

serves 4 prep 20 minutes cook 1 hour 20 minutes

• 900 g (2 lb) rindless pork belly

• 2 tsps five-spice powder

• 1 tbsp sesame or vegetable oil

• 3 cm (11/4 inch) piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks

• 6 spring onions (scallions), chopped and whites and greens separated

• 60 g (21/4 oz) rock sugar, crushed until fine, or 4 tablespoons caster sugar

• 60 ml (2 fl oz) Chinese or other dark soy sauce

• 30 ml (1 fl oz) Chinese or other light soy sauce

• 90 ml (3 fl oz) Shaoxing rice wine

• 2 tbsps black vinegar

• 1 star anise

• 2 whole dried chillies

Serve with steamed rice

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pork and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Chop the meat into 3 cm (11/4 inch) pieces and toss with the five-spice.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and add the pork in batches so it browns on both sides using medium–high heat. Remove from the pan and add the ginger and white part of the spring onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and then add the sugar. Stir constantly until melted.

3. Add the pork and stir in the sugar for 1–2 minutes. Add the soy sauces, rice wine, vinegar, star anise, dried chili, and 500 ml (17 fl oz) water. Place a lid on top and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Let cook for 30 minutes and then remove the lid. Continue cooking for 30 minutes more, stirring periodically, or until the meat is tender and sticky.

4. Alternatively, you can cook in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan/350°F) for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, and then cook for another hour without a cover. Keep checking every 10 minutes or so to make sure it doesn’t need more water and doesn’t burn.

5. Remove the spices and discard. Serve sprinkled with green spring onions and bowls of rice.