Ingredients
1500 g pork belly (about 3.3 lbs), 12 lotus leaf buns.
Seasonings
100 g cooking wine, 150 g rock sugar (or crystal sugar), 25 g trimmed scallions, 10 g soy sauce, 5 g salt.
Instructions
1. First, scrape and wash the skin of the pork belly clean, removing any impurities, then cut it into 15 cm (about 6-inch) square pieces. Use an open flame to burn the skin side until it turns charred black, then soak it in cold water until softened. Remove and scrape off the charred black layer, revealing a reddish-yellow color, and rinse clean.
2. Line the bottom of a clay pot with a bamboo mat, place the pork pieces skin-side up on the mat, then add cooking wine, salt, soy sauce, rock sugar, scallions, and enough water to cover. Cover with the lid and simmer over low heat until the meat is about 80% tender.
3. Turn the meat over so the skin side faces down, and continue braising until completely tender, then increase the heat to high and reduce the sauce until thickened, remove and plate. Serve with warm lotus leaf buns on the side. This dish has a golden-red color and a rich, sweet aroma.