Who doesn’t love recipes that make the most of your time and ingredients. This one does both by starting with a flavourful broth that serves two purposes – first to tenderise the pork belly, and then as the base for a simple chicken soup.
The key is the fragrant broth, infused with star anise, cloves, garlic and ginger. These aromatics work their magic on the pork belly, making it melt-in-the-mouth tender before you even add the glaze.
Once the pork comes out of the broth, you’ll strain it and use it again for a quick but tasty soup. Nothing wasted, and you get two distinct dishes from one cooking process. The soup itself is dead simple – just chicken, vegetables and the already-flavoured stock.
What makes the pork belly special is the sticky-sweet glaze with orange, honey and chilli jam that caramelises beautifully in the oven. The contrast between the tender meat and the slightly crisp, glazed exterior is properly good.
I like serving this with some plain steamed rice on the side, but it’s hearty enough on its own. You can adjust the spicing to your taste – add more chilli jam if you want extra heat or dial it back for a milder version.
It might seem like there are quite a few ingredients, but don’t be put off. Most are store cupboard basics if you cook Asian-inspired food, and the method itself isn’t complicated.
Twice-Tasty Asian Pork Belly & Chicken Soup
For the Pork Belly & Broth
- 500g pork belly slices, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cloves
- 3 cloves of garlic, cut in half
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1L chicken stock
- 4 slices of fresh ginger
For the Glaze
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled & crushed
- Zest & juice of a small orange
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp chilli jam
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
For the Soup
- 90g baby corn
- 350g bag of chopped soup vegetables
- 2 chicken breasts
For the Pork Belly & Broth
- In a large pot, add the pork belly pieces, peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cloves, halved garlic cloves, caster sugar, Chinese black vinegar, chicken stock and ginger slices.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes until the pork belly is tender.
- Remove the pork belly pieces and set aside. Strain the broth to remove the whole spices and reserve for the soup.
For the Glazed Pork Belly Bites
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- In a bowl, mix together the crushed garlic, orange zest and juice, honey, chilli jam, soy sauce, Chinese five spice and light brown sugar to make the glaze.
- Place the cooked pork belly pieces in a roasting tin and pour over the glaze, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes until the pork is caramelised and the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze.
For the Soup
- Return the strained broth to the pot and bring back to a simmer.
- Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips and add to the broth.
- Add the chopped soup vegetables and baby corn.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
