Red Braised Pork

Mao Zedong's favourite dish — pork belly slow-braised in soy, Shaoxing wine and rock sugar until impossibly tender and glossy.

Red braised pork (hong shao rou) is one of China's most beloved comfort dishes, associated most famously with Mao Zedong who reportedly ate it every day and attributed his mental sharpness to the fat. The dish originated in Hunan province — Mao's home. The rock sugar is critical — it melts more slowly than white sugar and produces a more complex, less sweet caramelisation. The best red braised pork is made the day before eating — overnight in the braising liquid deepens the flavour dramatically. The dish is considered a test of a Chinese home cook's fundamental skill.

Use pork belly with the skin on. Rock sugar gives a better gloss than white sugar. The braising liquid should reduce to a thick, lacquer-like sauce. Cook for at least 2 hours.