Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean pork (the recipe calls for pork belly but this is a lighter version)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or sherry wine
• 3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, skin left on and sliced
• 1 star anise
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 piece of cassia bark)
• light soy sauce, to taste
• salt, to taste
• sugar, to taste
• scallions, to garnish (green parts only)

Directions

1. 1

   Plunge the pork into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 3-4 minutes until partially cooked; remove and, when cool enough to handle, cut in bite-sized chunks.

2. 2

   Heat the oil and sugar in a wok over low heat until the sugar melts, then raise the heat and stir until the melted sugar turns a rich caramel brown; add the pork and splash in the wine.

3. 3

   Add enough water just to cover the pork, along with the ginger, star anise, chilies and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.

4. 4

   Toward the end of the cooking time, turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, and season with soy sauce, salt and a little sugar to taste; add the scallion greens just before serving.