Humba
A Filipino adaptation of Chinese red-braised pork belly (hong shao rou).
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram boneless pork belly (2.2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 shallots or one onion, peeled and sliced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
- 2 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons black bean sauce (available in Asian groceries)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wide thick-bottomed pan. Lower the pork in the hot oil, skin side down (watch out as the oil will spatter) and sear on all sides.
- Add the sliced shallots and garlic to the pork, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften a bit.
- Throw in the star anise and bay leaf.
- Add the black bean sauce and ketchup.
- Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice and about a cup of water.
- Stir in the sugar and black pepper.
- Bring to the boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Scoop out the pork and transfer to a cutting board.
- Cut the pork into one-fourth inch slices then slide back into the simmering sauce.
- Cover the pan once more and continue cooking the pork over low heat until tender.
- Serve with rice.
