Pork belly with wood ear fungus

Instructions

1. Slice rind away from pork belly. Slice piece of pork belly into 3 cm–wide strips. Then, cut strips into 1 ½ cm–wide pieces.
2. To make a marinade, combine fermented bean curd, five spice powder, shaoxin and onion juice in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly until there are no lumps. Add pork belly pieces to marinade, massage into meat and allow to sit for minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare fungus, soak wood ear in water for about 30 minutes or until rehydrated. Drain water and tear each piece roughly into 2–3 pieces, discarding any woody parts. Set aside.
4. Mix egg and plain flour into the marinating pork.
5. In a large saucepan or wok, heat oil to medium–high heat. Deep-fry about 10 pieces of pork at a time for 3–5 minutes, or until pork pieces are a rich, rusty brown. (The pork at this stage is actually an excellent dish in itself – great with beer!)
6. Transfer pork to a clay pot or saucepan and add water, sugar and oyster sauce. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add fungus and simmer for another 10–15 minutes. Season with more oyster sauce and sugar, if necessary.
7. Mix cornflour with extra water and incorporate into sauce. Bring to boil until sauce thickens. Serve.