Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS
3-lb pork belly
1 tablespoon sea salt (for cleaning)
2 shallots (peel and mince)
4 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon thick soy sauce or homemade caramel cooking sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 40-oz can pineapples chunks (feel free to substitute with fresh pineapples)
2 green onions/scallions (slice thinly)
INSTRUCTIONS
Thoroughly clean the pork belly: Sprinkle salt onto the pork belly and give it an abrasive scrub. This helps remove any foul smell. Optionally, use a knife to scrape the pork skin clean. Rinse, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Cut pork belly into small chunks so that each chunk includes a bit of skin, fat and meat. Set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch pork for 3-5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and discard water.
In a clay pot, marinate pork with shallots, garlic, fish sauce, ground pepper, thick soy sauce/homemade caramel cooking sauce and sugar for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge for best results.
Heat clay pot to a boil and reduce heat to a lower simmer. Braise for about one hour with the lid slightly ajar to prevent boiling over.
After one hour, add pineapple chunks. Let the liquid cook down for 20 minutes in the clay pot, uncovered.
Sprinkle with green onions when you are ready to serve.