Chinese Roast Pork Belly

As a traveler, I've had the pleasure of experiencing a wide range of culinary delights from around the world, but one dish that has always stood out in my memory is Chinese roast pork belly.

The crispy skin, succulent meat, and aromatic spices create a symphony of flavors that is simply irresistible. While I've sampled many variations of this dish in different parts of China, the one I had in a bustling street market in Hong Kong was particularly memorable.

It was a cold winter evening, and the fragrant aroma of roasting pork wafted through the air, tempting me to follow my nose to a small stall where a skilled chef was carefully tending to a large slab of pork belly. The skin was glistening with a beautiful golden-brown hue, and as I watched, he sliced off a generous portion for me.

The first bite was an explosion of flavors in my mouth. The crispy skin shattered between my teeth, releasing a savory burst of juices. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender and had absorbed all the delicious spices, creating a harmonious balance of sweetness and savory.

I couldn't help but ask the chef for his secret, and he shared with me that the key to achieving the perfect roast pork belly lies in the preparation. The skin needs to be scored deeply but not all the way through to the meat, which allows the salt and spices to penetrate and create that irresistible crackling. The pork is then roasted slowly at a low temperature to ensure that the meat cooks evenly and becomes fall-off-the-bone tender.

Since then, I've recreated this dish countless times in my own kitchen, and while it may not be as authentic as the one I had in Hong Kong, it's still a delicious and satisfying meal that brings back fond memories of my travels.

Step-by-step

• Make diamond shaped slits on top of the skin only (be sure not to cut through to the meat). This is for the salt to penetrate through.
• Boil 2 cups of water and add 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Shower this mix on top of the skin only until the skin is slightly cooked (turns pinkish colour).
• Rub 1/2 teaspoon of Five Spice powder all over the meat, except the skin.
• Sprinkle some salt over the skin.
• Wrap around the meat (4 sides except the skin) with aluminium foil and keep in a plate/container. WITH the skin exposed, put inside the fridge for about 2-3 days. Once the skin has dried it's ready to roast.
• Place into the oven at 180-deg Celsius for about an hour. Be sure to have place the pork on top of a rack so the oil can drip down.
• Let the pork cool slightly after roasting. Slice alongside the slits and chop into bite size pieces.