Steps
- Cut 450g of skin-on pork belly into ½in / 1cm pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and rinse.
- Tie 3 star anise pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of Sichuan peppercorns, 2 pieces of dried tangerine peel, and 2 slices of fresh ginger in cheesecloth.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil with 25g of rock sugar in a wok over low heat until the sugar starts melting. Add 1 small diced onion; stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add 8 diced fresh shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the pork, ¼ cup of Shaoxing wine, 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, and 2 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, add the spice packet, and simmer over the lowest heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender.
- Remove the spice packet and reduce over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce coats a spoon. Spoon over 4 cups of hot cooked white rice.