On my recent visit to Yiwu in China I tasted one of the most simple and wonderful soya bean dishes. Here I’ve recreated it with a deliciously rich pork belly that is very similar to one I also had in Yiwu.

black vinegar pork belly with ginger & chilli  soya beans

serves 4-6

for the pork :

• 500 g pork belly, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 4 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
• spring onion, finely sliced
• toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Combine the salt, ½ tsp sugar, shaoxing wine, soy sauce and half the oil. Mix this into the pork and leave to marinate overnight.

Remove pork from the marinade, drain well, reserving the marinade.

Heat a wok until very hot. Add 1 ½ tbsp oil and stir-fry the pork in batches until golden brown all over. Add the raw sugar & vinegar and enough water to cover the meat. Cover with a lid and cook at a low simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

Now start on the soya beans.

When the pork is ready remove it from the wok, cook the liquid until syrupy and then pour this over the pork to serve.

Garnish with the sliced spring onion and sesame seeds.

for the soya beans :

• 2 cups soya beans
• 2 cups spring onion finely sliced
• 1/3 cup ginger, finely grated
• 1-2 large red chillies, seeded and sliced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp hoisin sauce

Heat the butter and oil in a wok. Add the ginger and chilli and stir-fry for a minute. Add the soya beans and stir-fry for another minute. Add the oyster and hoisin sauces, toss quickly and then finally add the sliced spring onion.

Serve with the pork and some steamed rice.