500g pork belly, sliced into 2 thick slabs
1 tbsp superior dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
6 shallots, sliced
1 stick cinnamon
2 star anise
5 cloves
1 tsp white peppercorns
25 g rock sugar
3 tbsp Shaoxing wine

Chilli sauce (Chilli cuka):
6 long red chillies, roughly chopped
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp rice vinegar or white vinegar

1. Marinate pork belly with dark and light soy sauces. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 145°C.
3. Place oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
4. Saute garlic, shallots, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and white peppercorns until the shallots soften and turn translucent.
5. Add the marinated pork belly. Fry for about 2 minutes until lightly caramelised.
6. Drizzle in Shaoxing wine and continue stirring.
7. Add enough water to cover the meat, along with any remaining pork marinade.
8. Once it comes to a boil, add the rock sugar and stir.
9. Cover the surface of the pot’s contents with parchment paper and braise in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Alternatively, simmer over a gentle heat on the stove for about 45 minutes to an hour.
10. In the meantime, make the chilli sauce. Place chillies in a small food processor or the vessel of a stick blender. Blitz to a paste and transfer to a small saucepan.
11. Cook over medium heat with the sugar and water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
12. Add the salt and vinegar, and another tablespoon of water if the mixture appears dry. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Set aside to cool.
13. Remove pork from the oven. When cool enough to handle, slice pork into 2-cm-thick pieces and arrange them in a serving bowl.
14. Place the sauce over medium-high heat and reduce till it thickens slightly. Pour over the meat in the bowl and serve with steamed leaf buns, lettuce leaves, coriander leaves, and chilli sauce on the side.