Party food? In January? I hear you ask. Well yes!! It’s my birthday! Not only that, I have a long list of friends who also have their birthday this month, so what better excuse to have another party? This little hors d’oeuvre is a total winner in our abode! Once you try it, I promise it will be a winner for you! Sticky umami pork belly. Need I say more? Just get those toothpicks ready to dig in to these lovely morsels of loveliness!!
No wine note with this I am afraid, as it goes with a plethora of flavours on a party table, so just a good party wine to make the guests merry!
- 1kg/ 2 1/4lb pork belly, rind removed and chopped into 4cm cubes
- 200g / 7oz soft light brown sugar
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 5 star anise or 2 1/2 tsp ground star anise
- 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4/ 350F. Place the pork in a roasting tin with the sugar, fish sauce, soy, vinegar, star anise, five-spice and 250ml water. Mix well, cover with foil and roast for 30 mins. Remove the foil, then turn up the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7/245F. Cook for another 45 mins-1 hr, tossing the pork every 15 mins until tender. Remove the pork from the tin and keep warm. Tip the juices into a pan and reduce to a syrupy sauce.
Place toothpicks/ cocktail sticks into the pork pieces.
Wine With Food 