{"id":"recipe_957ddc2580","slug":"red-braised-pork-belly-hong-shao-rou","title":"Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)","description":"A classic East Asian comfort dish featuring succulent pork belly slow-cooked in a fragrant, caramel-colored sauce of soy, ginger, and star anise. The result is tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat with a rich, glossy glaze.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":60,"totalMinutes":75,"activeMinutes":20},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"500g pork belly, cut into 2cm cubes","name":"Pork belly","quantity":500,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1.1,"usUnit":"lb","form":"cubed","notes":"cut into 2cm pieces","group":"Main","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"1 tbsp vegetable oil","name":"Vegetable Oil","quantity":15,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"","group":"Base","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"30g rock sugar","name":"Rock sugar","quantity":30,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1.1,"usUnit":"oz","form":"crystals","notes":"or 2 tbsp granulated sugar","group":"Base","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"2 tbsp Shaoxing wine","name":"Shaoxing Wine","quantity":30,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"Chinese rice wine","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"2 tbsp light soy sauce","name":"Soy Sauce","quantity":30,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"1 tbsp dark soy sauce","name":"Dark Soy Sauce","quantity":15,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"used primarily for color","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"4 slices ginger","name":"Ginger","quantity":4,"unit":"slice","usQuantity":4,"usUnit":"slice","form":"sliced","notes":"fresh","group":"Aromatics","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"3 garlic cloves, smashed","name":"Garlic","quantity":3,"unit":"clove","usQuantity":3,"usUnit":"clove","form":"smashed","notes":"","group":"Aromatics","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"2 star anise","name":"Star Anise","quantity":2,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"piece","form":"whole","notes":"","group":"Aromatics","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-10","original":"1 cinnamon stick","name":"Cinnamon Stick","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"stick","notes":"","group":"Aromatics","optional":true},{"id":"ingredient-11","original":"500ml hot water","name":"Hot Water","quantity":500,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"cup","form":"hot","notes":"enough to cover pork","group":"Braising","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"Place the cubed pork belly in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse the pork with clean water. Set aside.","group":"Preparation","title":"Place the cubed pork belly","timerMinutes":5,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"Heat oil in a wok or heavy-based pot over low heat. Add the rock sugar and stir constantly until it melts and turns into a light amber caramel color.","group":"Base","title":"Heat oil in a wok or heavy-based pot","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Base"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Add the blanched pork cubes to the wok. Increase heat slightly and stir-fry until the pork is evenly coated with the caramel.","group":"Cooking","title":"Add the blanched pork cubes","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Cooking"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Add the ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Stir well to combine.","group":"Seasoning","title":"Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Seasoning"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"Add enough hot water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes (110°F (43°C) internal temp isn't enough, aim for tender texture). Check occasionally to ensure the liquid hasn't dried out.","group":"Braising","title":"Add enough hot water","timerMinutes":60,"sourceTitle":"Braising"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Remove the lid and increase the heat. Boil the sauce down until it thickens and becomes a sticky, glossy glaze that coats the pork cubes. Serve hot.","group":"Finishing","title":"Remove the lid and increase the heat","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Finishing"}],"notes":"Using rock sugar instead of granulated sugar gives the sauce a distinctive glossy sheen and a more mellow sweetness. For the best texture, ensure the pork belly has a good balance of fat and lean meat layers.","cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Chinese","Shanghainese"]},"course":["main"],"cookingMethod":["braise","boil","saute"],"equipment":["Wok or Dutch oven","Slotted spoon","Lid"],"diet":["high_protein"],"allergens":["soy","gluten"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":4,"unit":"servings","note":"Approximately 150g per serving"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors penetrate deeper into the pork."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store in an airtight container.","reheatingNotes":"Reheat slowly in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the glaze."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_957ddc2580%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=a7a111bc-aea9-4c83-9471-5243e34947c4","imageAlt":"Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou) — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["pork belly","slow cooked","chinese","savory","sweet","glossy","shanghai"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T19:17:39.019Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T19:17:39.019Z","related":[{"id":"recipe_5bd7d18ba8","slug":"cantonese-steamed-rice-noodle-rolls-cheung-fun","title":"Cantonese Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun)","description":"A silky, smooth, and translucent Cantonese dim sum classic. These rice noodle rolls are steamed to perfection and typically filled with succulent shrimp or savory pork, then finished with a sweetened soy sauce.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":30,"activeMinutes":25},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Cantonese"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["dairy_free","egg_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_5bd7d18ba8%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=95ae143d-b901-4366-9657-7aa0c5bdad41","imageAlt":"Cantonese Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun) — recipe cover","tags":["dim sum","cantonese","rice noodles","steamed","shrimp","chinese breakfast"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":9,"stepCount":6},{"id":"recipe_8c98f14ca2","slug":"classic-fried-rice-chaofan","title":"Classic Fried Rice (Chǎofàn)","description":"A quick, savory, and satisfying East Asian staple featuring fluffy rice stir-fried with eggs, crisp vegetables, and a touch of soy sauce.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":10,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":20},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Chinese"]},"course":["main","side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","nut_free","high_protein"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_8c98f14ca2%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=a9bd1aca-9eb5-41e5-8730-eac0148bdba5","imageAlt":"Classic Fried Rice (Chǎofàn) — recipe cover","tags":["fried-rice","quick","easy","leftover-rice","chinese-cuisine"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":9,"stepCount":6},{"id":"recipe_7d0223495d","slug":"classic-japanese-udon-soup","title":"Classic Japanese Udon Soup","description":"A comforting, traditional East Asian noodle soup featuring thick, chewy udon noodles in a delicate, savory dashi broth.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":10},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Japanese"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["dairy_free","low_fat"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_7d0223495d%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=b95b3407-aaaf-4a90-8153-c9dccf8a4049","imageAlt":"Classic Japanese Udon Soup — recipe cover","tags":["udon","noodles","soup","quick","comfort food","japanese"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":7,"stepCount":5}]}