Pork Belly with Black Fungus ( Char Yoke) Recipe

Hakka Pork Belly with Black Fungus Recipe (Char Yoke) (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
300 gm pork belly, cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
30-50 gm dried black fungus, soaked in water ( 2 - 3 pieces)
2 tbsp garlic mince
1/2 cube fermented beancurd, mashed
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
Salt & pepper to taste

Marinade pork

Pork Marinade:
1 cube of fermented beancurd (Nam Yue)
1 tbsp of Nam Yue juice from the bottle
1 tsp of oyster sauce
1 tbsp of Shao Hsing Wine
1 tbsp cornflour or tapioca flour
A dash of pepper
1 small egg, beaten




Deepfry pork

Seasoning:
1 cube of fermented beancurd (Nam Yue)
1/2 tbsp five spices powder
1 tsp of sugar
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tbsp osyster sauce
A dash of pepper
1  tbsp " Shao Hsing" Wine ( optional


Method:

1. Marinade pork belly for a few hours or overnight.
2. Deepfry pork belly until golden brown. Drain excess oil.
3. Cut the softened black fungus into bite-sized pieces
4. Heat up a pot or wok. Add a little cooking oil and saute garlic mince
5. Add the fermented beancurd and black fungus and fry until fragrant.
6. Add the fried pork belly, stirfry for 3 minutes.
7. Pour in water and and turn the heat up. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Add water if necessary.
8. When almost ready, add wine, salt & pepper to taste.

                                          Soaked fungus

                                          Marinade pork

                                          Chopped Garlic and star anises

                                           Fried pork belly

                                          Cooked braised pork belly