Name: Pork shoulder braised in black vinegar & rice wine with pickled chillies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 ½kg pork shoulder cut into 4cm/11/2in pieces; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 200ml Shaohsing rice wine (or dry Sherry); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced; 5cm/2in piece ginger peeled and julienned; 50g light brown soft sugar; 3 tbsp oyster sauce; 125ml Chinese black vinegar (see tip); 500ml vegetable stock; 1 long or 2 bird's-eye red chillies sliced; 1 shallot thinly sliced; 75ml rice wine vinegar; toasted sesame seeds; julienned spring onions; steamed rice

Pork shoulder braised in black vinegar & rice wine with pickled chillies

1 ½kg pork shoulder
cut into 4cm/11/2in pieces
3 tbsp soy sauce
200ml Shaohsing rice wine
(or dry Sherry)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
thinly sliced
5cm/2in piece ginger
peeled and julienned
50g light brown soft sugar
3 tbsp oyster sauce
125ml Chinese black vinegar
(see tip)
500ml vegetable stock

For the pickled chillies

1 long or 2 bird's-eye red chillies
sliced
1 shallot
thinly sliced
75ml rice wine vinegar

To serve

Method

step 1
Put the pork in a bowl and add 1 tbsp each of the soy sauce and rice wine. Toss to combine, then cover and chill for 1 hr, or overnight if time permits.
step 2
To make the pickled chillies, put the chilli, shallot and rice vinegar in a small bowl with a big pinch of salt, and let stand for 1 hr or more.
step 3
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy- based saucepan over a medium heat, add the garlic and ginger, and sauté for 2-3 mins or until golden. Add the pork and all the remaining ingredients, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 mins. Remove the lid from the pan to allow the liquid to reduce, and cook for a further 45 mins or until the meat falls apart.
step 4
Serve scattered with the sesame seeds and spring onions, with steamed rice and the pickled chillies on the side.