Cold Peking Pork

This should be prepared one day in advance and then served cold. The pork is first blanched for a few minutes to rid it of any impurities, and then is slowly simmered in a rich liquid infused with Chinese spices. The cooked meat is removed and then braising liquid is reduced. This is then poured over the pork which is left to marinade overnight.

Serves 4 to 6.


Ingredients:
700g (1 1/2 pounds) pork leg or shoulder, in one piece, boned (ask the butcher to remove the rind but include it with the boned meat)
1 litre of chicken stock
3 slices fresh ginger
2 spring onions, whole
2 star anise
2 tablespoons wine
2 teaspoons five spice powder
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce


Cooking:
Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the rind and the pork in it for about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, discard the liquid and chop the rind into small pieces. Rinse the pot clean and return the pork to the pot. Add all the braising liquid ingredients and the pieces of rind. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down to a very low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 hours.

Remove the cooked pork from the pot with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back to high and reduce the liquid to about half. Put the pork into a bowl or deep dish. Strain the the reduced liquid and pour it over the meat. Allow it to cool and put it into the refrigerator. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving. Then slice it as thinly as possible. If the juice has jelled, arrange it as a garnish around the sliced pork, otherwise simply pour the cooled liquid over the pork slices and serve.

This recipe is from "Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery", British Broadcasting Corporation, 1984.