PORK: If you don't mind eating a bit of pork fat, this is a delicious way to indulge yourself once in a while.

STEWED PORK BELLY--DONG-BO STYLE東玻肉:



1 ½-2 lb. lean pork belly in 1 piece with skin on

1 lb. spinach

1-2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

cooking oil for deep-frying


seasoning:

½ cup Shao-Hsing rice wine
3 star anise
½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
1 piece dried tangerine peel
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce


½ tsp tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water




Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; and drop in the pork belly. Bring water back to boiling; then reduce heat to medium. Cover pot and cook pork for 10 minutes. Remove pork with tongs and transfer it to a colander to drain. When meat is cool enough to handle, rub it all over with the dark soy sauce repeatedly; and let stand 15-20 minutes.

Wash spinach and cut each bunch into 2 sections. Bring water in the pan back to a boil and blanch spinach until just wilted. Drain well. Toss spinach with salt to taste. Set aside.

In wok or large deep saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying over high heat until very hot; then remove pan from heat. Pat dry pork thoroughly with paper towels then carefully lower it into hot oil. Cover pan immediately with splatter screen to prevent splattering, and return pan to stove. Deep-fry pork until skin is golden brown. Transfer pork to a wire rack to drain and cool. When meat is cool enough to handle, cut it into 8 large squares.

Place a large Chinese clay pot or Corning-ware casserole over medium-high heat, and heat until hot. Add seasoning ingredients together with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and check for taste, adding more soy sauce or sugar as desired. Add in pork belly. Cover and cook at medium-low heat for about 1½ hours, or until very tender, basting meat occasionally with the cooking liquid. Mix starch with water and add it to thicken cooking liquid slightly.

Warm up spinach and arrange it on the outside of the serving platter. Arrange cooked pork in the middle of it and pour sauce over to serve.