Red-Braised Pork Belly

Cut the pork belly into 3 cm cubes, slice the ginger and cut the spring onions into 5 cm lengths. Blanch the pork cubes in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain, rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper. This removes scum and gives a cleaner sauce.

Heat the oil with the rock sugar over low heat, stirring, until it melts and turns a deep amber caramel.

Add the pork and turn it in the caramel until every piece is coated and coloured.

Add the sliced ginger, the spring onion lengths, the star anise, the cinnamon and the chillies, if using, then the wine and both soy sauces.

Add 500 ml of the water, hot, to just cover the pork, bring to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for 60 to 75 minutes.

While the pork braises, rinse the rice, put it in a pan with the remaining 450 ml of water and bring to the boil. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then leave it off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes.

Uncover the pork and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, stirring, until it becomes a thick glaze that coats the pork.

Serve the pork with the rice.