Directions

To Prep

1. Cut the spring onion into 6cm lengths and separate its green parts from the white parts. For the white parts, make a lengthwise incision and remove its soft green core. Keep it with the green part, which will be used later on for cooking.
2. Stack up the white parts of the spring onion and slice thinly. Soak in cold water for 10 mins and drain well. Put it in an air-tight container, or cover it with a plastic wrap. We will use this for garnishing chashu later.
3. Peel and slice ginger.
4. Sprinkle and rub the salt on the pork belly.

To Cook

1. Heat the oil in frying pan over high heat and brown the fat side first, then flip it over to brown the other side.
2. In another pot while the pork is cooking, add all of the ingredients for the seasoning.
3. When the pork belly has browned, add it in to the pot, add the ginger and spring onion and bring it to a boil.
4. Boil over a medium-high heat for approximately 30 mins until pork is slightly tender. Cover the top of the meat with aluminium foil shaped to fit the diameter of the pot. Pierce the foil with chopsticks to release steam.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, occasionally turning the pork belly, for about one hour or until there is 1 cm of liquid left in the pot.
6. Stay in the kitchen as the meat can easily get burnt if there is no liquid left. After 15-20 mins or so, bubbles will start to appear. You are getting close to the end. Turn off the heat when you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you slide the meat around. The sauce is now thickened and the meat is shiny.
7. Take out the meat and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting it into thin slices.
8. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped spring onions, or serve with ramen.
9. If you don’t use the chashu right away, pack the chashu and the sauce in an air-tight plastic bag to give it more flavour all around. You can store it in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or 3 weeks in the freezer.