Pork Belly with Five Spices

Name: Pork Belly with Five Spices
Yield: Serves Four
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 150 ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup hot water; 30 ml/2 tbsp granulated sugar; 30 ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 lime, halved; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes; 500 g/1¼ lb pork belly, cut into 2.5 cm/1 in pieces; 1 large bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) with roots; 45 ml/3 tbsp Thai fish sauce; 30 ml/2 tbsp five-spice powder; 30 ml/2 tbsp dark soy sauce

Preparation info

Serves
Four

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Thai Food and Cooking

By Judy Bastyra and Becky Johnson

Published 2011

About

The Chinese influence on Thai cuisine stems from the early years of its history, when colonists from Southern China settled in the country, bringing with them dishes like this, although Thai cooks have provided their own unique imprint.

Ingredients

1 large bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) with roots
30 ml/2 tbsp

Asia
Thailand
Main course
South East Asia

Method

Cut off the coriander roots. Chop five of them finely and freeze the remainder for another occasion. Chop the coriander stalks and leaves and set them aside. Keep the roots separate.
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the garlic until golden brown. Stirring constantly, add the chopped coriander roots and then the five-spice powder.