Moo Hong

Pailin Chongchitnant’s selected moo hong braises skin-on pork belly in a salty-sweet soy sauce mixture. She places the dish in Phuket’s Peranakan cooking, and this version chooses palm sugar, Thai regular soy sauce and Chinese dark soy sauce.

The belly is cut into large cubes and coated with both soy sauces. Black peppercorns, garlic and chopped coriander stems are pounded into a paste, then gently sautéed in a little neutral oil.

Unsalted chicken stock loosens the browned paste from the pan. Palm sugar, pork and all of its marinade enter together, with the skin positioned beneath the liquid during a gentle simmer.

The first braising stage uses a partly covered pot; the lid is then removed so the sauce can reduce. The pork is turned during cooking, and extra water can maintain the liquid as the meat becomes fork-tender.

Surface fat is skimmed before the strong sauce is tasted and adjusted. Separately prepared jasmine rice accompanies the saucy pork; cinnamon and star anise are offered as optional additions to the braise.