• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) skinless pork belly
• 2 tsp five-spice powder
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) Shaoxing rice wine
• 60 ml 2 fl oz) light soy sauce
• 3 cm (1¼ inch) ginger, julienned
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• steamed Bao buns

Chilli Hoisin Sauce

• 1 tbsp hot chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

Crushed Peanuts

• 50 g 2 oz) salted roasted peanuts, crushed
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder

• julienned spring onions (scallions) and Ginger pickles or bought pickles, to serve

In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Season the pork with the five-spice, sea salt and black pepper. Add to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove and place in a slow cooker, large roasting tin or pot.

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, apart from the buns, along with 75 ml (2½ fl oz) water and bring to a boil. Pour the liquid over the meat and cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours. Alternatively, you can roast in the roasting tin, covered, at 160°C (315°F) or 140°C (275°F) fan forced for 2½–3 hours or until tender and soft when pierced with a knife.

Mix the chilli sauce ingredients together.

Mix the peanuts and chilli powder together.

Keep the pork belly warm and slice just before serving with the spring onion, peanuts, pickles and the buns.