Name: Roast pork belly with caramelised peanut sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cinnamon stick; 3cm piece ginger peeled and chopped; 2 lime leaves torn; ½ tsp black peppercorns; 2 garlic cloves chopped; 3 star anise broken; 1 ½kg boned pork belly joint, scored across (this makes it easier to slice); a little olive oil; 3cm piece ginger peeled and grated; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp black peppercorns; 2 tsp dried chilli flakes; 1 tbsp groundnut oil; 3 shallots finely chopped; 2 red chillies deseeded and finely sliced; 4 garlic cloves finely chopped; 3cm piece ginger peeled and grated; 1 ½ tbsp soft light brown sugar; 2 lime leaves left whole; 1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla); 2½ limes juiced; 100g crunchy peanut butter; ¼-½ tsp tamarind paste; cooked rice and stir-fried greens, to serve

A plate serving roast pork belly with caramelised peanut sauce

For the pork

1 cinnamon stick
3cm piece ginger
peeled and chopped
2 lime leaves
torn
½ tsp black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves
chopped
3 star anise
broken
1 ½kg boned pork belly
joint, scored across (this makes it easier to slice)
a little olive oil

For the spice rub

3cm piece ginger
peeled and grated
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp dried chilli flakes

For the sauce

1 tbsp groundnut oil
3 shallots
finely chopped
2 red chillies
deseeded and finely sliced
4 garlic cloves
finely chopped
3cm piece ginger
peeled and grated
1 ½ tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 lime leaves
left whole
1 tbsp fish sauce
(nam pla)
2½ limes
juiced
100g crunchy peanut butter
¼-½ tsp tamarind paste
cooked rice
and stir-fried greens, to serve

Method

step 1
Pound all of the ingredients for the spice rub together using a pestle and mortar. You’ll end up with a coarse mixture. Transfer to a small bowl. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
step 2
To prepare the spices that will be simmered with the pork, pound the cinnamon, ginger, lime leaves and peppercorns using a pestle and mortar to a rough paste. Add the garlic. Roughly break up the star anise – it’s much too strong if you pound it – and add that too. Tip the spice mixture into a flameproof roasting tin that the pork will fit into. Lay the pork on top, skin-side down. Add enough boiling water to come just up to the level of the meat. Bring to a simmer on the hob and cook for 20 mins.
step 3
Take the pork out of the water and pat it dry. Discard the water and spices in the tin, wash and dry. Set a rack inside the roasting tin and lay the pork on top, skin-side up. Spread the spice rub over the pork, then drizzle on a little oil and rub all over the pork. Sprinkle over some sea salt, put in the oven and cook for 20 mins, then turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for a further 45 mins. Finish under the grill for 10 mins to crisp up the skin.
step 4
Make the sauce while the pork is cooking. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the shallots over a medium heat until golden. Add the chilli, garlic, and ginger and cook for 2 mins, then add the sugar. Cook until the sugar caramelises – be careful not to burn it – then quickly add 300ml water (it will sizzle and spit a bit). Stir in the lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice and peanut butter. Bring to a simmer, stirring to break down the peanut butter. Taste. I usually add a little tamarind paste, but you might prefer to add more lime juice or fish sauce. Serve the pork belly with the sauce, rice and greens.