Easy Chinese Pork Belly Noodles

Don't you just love it when it's something good for tea? My Saturday was made a whole lot brighter when my mum told me she was making Chinese pork belly noodles. She said she just made it up, but I had to know the recipe, because what am I supposed to do when I move out again and I have to make it myself? It's a recipe worth sharing, even if there is no real structure to follow. The end result is sweet, salty and authentic, plus, it is cheap and easy to make. Yay!

 

Don't be put off by the thought of cooking pork belly. It's really very easy, and a cheap piece of meat you can get at the meat counter at your supermarket or butcher. This recipe will serve four. All you do is pop it into a baking tray and add the following:

• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Some black peppercorns (or ground black pepper)
• Some soy sauce
• Some rice wine
• Some white wine (or water)

I say 'some' because it really is just a guesstimate. You want enough liquid in the pan to keep the meat moist and to have some left for the sauce when it's cooked so use your initiative ;)
If you're really not sure, start with 1 cup of each liquid ingredient and see how it goes - follow your gut instinct - add more water/wine if it's looking a little strong.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 100°C. Cover the meat in foil and put in the oven for 5-6 hours. You can do this in the morning before work and it will still be OK when you get home in the evening. Just make sure you keep it on a low heat - you know your oven.

When the pork is done, lift it out of the pan and onto a serving dish. You will be left with a glistening pool of juice ready to be sieved into a jug to pour over your noodles. 

Next to make the noodles. Again, very easy. Thinly slice some vegetables of your choice - pictured are peppers, carrots and spring onion - and fry them in some oil for a few minutes. Boil the kettle and cook your noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and toss in the crispy vegetables.

My mum dished out the noodles and we helped ourselves to the pork. Pork belly is quite fatty but that's where a lot of the flavour comes from, and it's so worth it for the stringy bits of meat that pair so perfectly with the noodles.

This one is for the cookbook I keep telling myself I need to write - of family recipes and adaptations of dishes that never get old, recipes I will share with anyone who will have them. Good ideas and good food are to be shared.