Left overnight for the spice rub to work it’s magic, this tender pork belly is served with zingy fresh greens.
To prepare the pork, pierce the rind side of pork with a sharp fork or knife until the skin is covered with fine holes.
Bring a large pan of water to a boil and, using a large ladle, pour the hot water over the rind side of the pork several times. This is best done suspending the pork above the sink by a hook, but you can place it on a wire rack in the sink instead. Set the pork belly aside.
Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the salt, pepper, five-spice powder and sugar and stir-fry the mixture for 3 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
When the mixture is cool enough to handle, rub it into the flesh side of the pork. Hang the meat to dry for 8 hours or overnight in a cool place or in front of a fan. Alternatively, place the meat on a wire rack set above a roasting tin.
To cook the pork, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Place the pork on a wire rack, rind-side up and roast for 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4 and continue to roast for 2 hours. Turn the oven back up to 230C/210C fan/Gas 8 and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and allow the pork to cool.
For the greens, heat a wok, once hot, add the ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes.
To make the dressing, place all the ingredients into a pestle and mortar and pound to a rough paste.
To serve, stir the dressing through the wok vegetables and scatter on a large plate. Cut the pork into small squares and dot around the plate. Garnish with the spring onions and chilli.
