Cherry pork with spicy bacon broccoli and sweet potato brown rice

Slow cooked chunks of juicy pork belly served with spicy broccoli, sweet rice and a cranberry orange sauce. Amazing!

Ingredients

For the cherry pork

• 1 large piece pork belly (about 500g/1lb 2oz)
• 300g/10½oz red rock sugar (available from specialist Chinese groceries)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

For the sweet potato brown rice

• 300g/10½oz brown rice
• 400g/14oz sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1.5cm/¾in chunks

For the cranberry sauce

• 150g/5½oz fresh or frozen cranberries
• 50ml/2fl oz orange juice

For the spicy broccoli

• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2.5cm/1in fresh root ginger, finely grated
• 2 whole dried red chillies, torn
• 180g/6oz smoky bacon lardons, finely diced
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, or dry sherry
• 1 large red carrot, sliced in quarters lengthwise, then cut into 5cm/2in pieces at an angle
• 200g/7oz Tenderstem broccoli, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
• 2 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp low sodium light soy sauce

Method

1. For the cherry pork, in a large pan of water boil the pork for 30 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Slice into 2.5cm/1in pieces.

2. Place the red rock sugar in a pan with about 1 litre/1¾ pints water and cook over a high heat until reduced in volume to a red–brown caramel syrup.

3. Heat a wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the pork pieces, dark soy sauce and red rock sugar syrup and stir fry on a medium heat for one minute, or until browned, stirring constantly so the sugar does not caramelise.

4. Pour in 1 litre/1¾ pints boiling water, cover the wok and simmer for two hours on a medium hear, or until the pork is tender.

5. For the sweet potato brown rice, wash the rice well until the water runs clear. Add to a pan with 700ml/1¼pints water and the sweet potato chunks. Bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer and place a lid on the pan. Cook on a low heat for another 20-25 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated, the sweet potato is tender and the rice cooked. While the rice is cooking make the cranberry sauce and spicy broccoli.

6. For the cranberry sauce, place the cranberries and orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil and turn down and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

7. For the spicy broccoli, heat a wok over high heat and add the groundnut oil. Add the garlic and ginger, then the dried chilli pieces, and toss for a few seconds. Then quickly add the bacon lardons and stir-fry for one minute until browned.

8. Add the Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry. Then add the carrot and Tenderstem broccoli pieces and cook tossing for one minute. Season with Chinkiang black rice vinegar. Cook for one more minute until the vegetables are crisp then add the light soy sauce.

9. Five minutes before serving stir the cranberry sauce into the pork. Remove the sweet potato rice from the heat, fluff the rice and serve immediately.

Source: BBC