Easy Soy Sauce & Garlic Pork Belly

Our family staple for festivals—simple, rich and comforting. 

Ingredients

1kg pork belly, sliced or cubed

1 whole garlic bulb

150 ml dark soy sauce

2–3 star anise (optional)

250 ml water

2 tbsp oil for searing

Method

Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves (just enough that when cooked they soften and can be squeezed out).

Heat oil in a heavy-based pot or deep pan over medium-high. Sear the pork until browned on all sides.

In the same pot, add the soy sauce and toast about 1 minute. Then, add the garlic bulb and the water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low for about 1 hour, stir occasionally.

Optional finish
Uncover, increase heat to medium, and reduce sauce to thicken.

Tips 

Spice lift: Add some dried chillies if you want warmth.

Make ahead: Put all the ingredients together the night before to ‘marinade’ the meat

Variations: This recipe can also be made in the rice cooker, slow cooker or a pressure cooker—just adjust time. ( I usually put the ‘marinated’ ingredients in the rice cooker and turn it on. Tadaa! Comforting dinner is done in 2 hours!)