Text and Photographs by Billy Cheung

With introduction from the Editor

With the sun peeking out and flowers beginning to bloom in the month of May, it is a hopeful time, ripe for gratitude and reflection. It is also Asian Heritage Month and an opportunity to collectively appreciate our roots and culture. From our Contributors Circle, Billy is sharing a classic dish of his Popo’s (grandma in Chinese), which is not only delicious, it also brings back fond memories. This is also a recipe from history and rooted in our modern culture in the home kitchen. For Asian Heritage month, we invite you to share your favourite food memories or recipes to celebrate our culture by emailing us at info@fetechinoise.com.  

五月是思考、感欣我們的根和文化的好時機。博主Billy 與我們分享他祖母家傳的菜餚，不僅暖胃，還帶回了美好的回憶。暖心的食物也是記載歷史的秘訣。在這亞洲傳統月中，我們邀請你一起慶祝我們的文化，分享你快樂的美食回憶或家傳食譜，電郵至 info@fetechinoise.com。

My mom and grandma are from a small town near Shanghai. Growing up, my grandma worked the fields to make a living while my mom worked at the age of 12 to help earn some money for the family. Their everyday meals were very simple, consisting of rice and pickled vegetables, but on special occasions, such as Lunar New Year, they would make one of the most decadent dishes in Shanghainese cuisine, braised pork belly (紅燒肉). They made enough to share with the whole community, and it was one of their signature dishes!

Shanghainese Braised Pork Belly is one of the most well-known dishes in Shanghai Cuisine. It consists of large chunks of pork belly, glazed in melted sugar and cooked in a savoury blend of spices and dark soy sauce. When made correctly, the meat will be plump and melt in your mouth! Much of the fat will render out, but this is definitely not a dish you can have every day.

This recipe was passed on from generation to generation in my family. My grandma taught my mom when she was younger, and now it is time for me to learn from both of them and share that secret recipe with you all!

Shanghai Braised Pork Belly 紅燒肉

Ingredients:

Preparation time: 45 minutes | Cook time: 2.5 Hours

1.5 kg pork belly (not too fatty)

8-10 eggs

1 ginger, large piece, peeled and sliced

120 g rock sugar

1 tbsp cooking oil

1.5 tbsp whole cloves

2-3 star anises

2 shallots, peeled and separated

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

3-4 cups water

to taste salt and pepper

Hope you feel inspired to give Billy’s recipe a try! Leave a comment below or tag @fetechinoise on Instagram if you’ve made this dish. We’d love to hear from you!