Assam Pork Belly

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Keep the pork as one 500 g slab. Scrape away any remaining thin surface film on the skin with a clean knife if needed, then pat the pork dry with disposable kitchen paper. Do not rinse the raw pork. Clean your hands, knife and work surface before preparing other food.

   Uses 500 g whole pork belly, skin on

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring enough water to cover the whole pork belly to a boil, add the slab and begin checking after 10 minutes. Continue cooking until a food thermometer reads at least 63°C/145°F in the thickest centre. Lift the fully cooked pork with clean utensils, drain it and discard the cooking water. Remove any clinging scum with a clean utensil. Do not chill the pork while it is only partly cooked.

   First pork-cooking check · 10 minUses All whole pork belly from step 1 · Water for the initial full pork cook; discard afterward

3. 3

   Step 3: Let the fully cooked pork rest for at least 3 minutes after it reaches 63°C/145°F, before chilling it.

   Rest fully cooked pork · 3 minUses All fully cooked drained pork belly from step 2

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the rested, fully cooked pork in a shallow covered container and refrigerate promptly at 4.4°C/40°F or colder. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C/90°F. Chill the pork before adding the marinade; keep it refrigerated while you prepare the tamarind.

   Uses All rested pork belly from step 3

5. 5

   Step 5: Mix all 80 g tamarind pulp with the separate 150 ml extraction water. Squeeze and work the pulp until the seeds separate cleanly from it.

   Uses 80 g tamarind pulp with seeds (assam) · 150 ml extraction water

6. 6

   Step 6: Press the tamarind mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl, squeezing the pulp to collect its liquid. Discard the seeds and spent fibrous solids. Keep all the strained tamarind liquid and let it cool if necessary before mixing with the chilled pork.

   Uses All tamarind and extraction water from step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: Combine the chilled, fully cooked pork with all the cooled strained tamarind liquid, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1½ tbsp sugar in a covered food-safe container. Refrigerate at 4.4°C/40°F or colder for 5–6 hours in total, turning the slab halfway through. For that halfway turn, set the first check for 2½–3 hours; keep the pork and marinade cold throughout.

   Turn pork halfway through marinade · 150 minUses All chilled pork belly from step 4 · All retained tamarind liquid from step 6 · 1 TBsp Dark Soy Sauce · 1½ tbsp sugar for the marinade

8. 8

   Step 8: Turn the whole pork slab over in its marinade, cover again and return it promptly to the refrigerator at 4.4°C/40°F or colder for the remaining 2½–3 hours, completing 5–6 hours in total. Keep all the marinade with the pork. Alternatively, leave the covered fully cooked pork marinating overnight in the refrigerator; no fixed overnight duration is required.

   Complete refrigerated marinade · 150 minUses All cold cooked pork and marinade from step 7

9. 9

   Step 9: Transfer the pork directly from the refrigerator to a pot with all its marinade. Add the separate 250 ml braising water, 30 g rock sugar and ⅛ tsp salt. Bring the whole pot to a full boil over high heat; do not leave the pork standing out to warm first.

   Uses All chilled marinated pork and all marinade from step 8 · Separate 250 ml braising water · 30 g Rock Sugar · ⅛ tsp salt for braising

10. 10

    Step 10: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and braise for about 1½ hours, turning the pork and checking the pot. Add small amounts of the extra boiling water only if needed to prevent it drying out or scorching. Reheat the cooked pork to at least 74°C/165°F in the centre and continue until a skewer glides through it easily; the time is a guide to tenderness.

    Check pork tenderness · 90 minUses All pork and boiling braising liquid from step 9 · Extra boiling water only if the pot starts drying out

11. 11

    Step 11: Check that the pork is reheated through and a skewer passes easily through the centre. If it is not tender yet, continue simmering for another 10–20 minutes, checking from 10 minutes and then as needed. Add a little extra boiling water only if the pot is becoming too dry. If it is already tender, go straight to the final sauce reduction.

    Check extra braising, only if needed · 10 minUses All braised pork and sauce from step 10 · Extra boiling water only if needed during further braising

12. 12

    Step 12: Once the pork is tender, reduce the sauce uncovered until it becomes slightly sticky. If it is still too watery, briefly raise the heat while watching closely. Stir the sauce and turn the pork frequently to prevent burning; stop before the pot dries out.

    Uses All tender pork and sauce from step 11

13. 13

    Step 13: Lift out the tender pork and slice it thinly on a clean board, keeping the sticky sauce to spoon over it. If using the garnishes, wash the parsley (1 sprig) and both small red chillies (2 small) with clean water, drain, slice the chillies and scatter them over the pork. Serve the pork and all its sauce hot, sharing the batch between five portions, with separately cooked rice if desired. Refrigerate unserved cooked portions promptly in shallow containers; reheat them to 74°C/165°F before serving.

    Uses All finished pork and sticky sauce from step 12 · 1 sprig parsley, optional garnish · 2 small red chillies, optional garnish · Water for optional garnish washing; drain away · Optional ready cooked rice, prepared separately