Siu Yoke - Roasted Pork Belly

My Singaporean friend and her Belgian husband were in London for a holiday. Invited them to dinner and these are some of the dishes that I cooked for them last Wednesday. As it was a weekday, there was no time to make dessert!



I have modified the Siew Yoke recipe from Hungry Bear's recipe.

Siew Yoke – Roast Pork

Blanch the belly pork in boiling water for about 20 minutes, immersing the pork completely.
After the 20 minutes is up, drain the pork in a colander.

Stab skin with a fork or skewer, literally on every part of the skin, do not be afraid of overdoing it. This is very important as it helps the skin to blister without the need in over salting the skin.

Rub good quality salt on the skin. Then rub a mixture of 5 spiced powder and freshly ground white pepper all over except the skin.

Place pork skin side up on a rack on a roasting tray. Then place in oven at 220 deg C. Roast for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven.

The switch oven to grill mode at about 150 deg C and place skin as close to the grill as possible. You have to watch carefully as the skin blisters very quickly under the grill – about 5 – 10 mins is more than enough!

Rest the meat for at least ten minutes before cutting.

Enjoy

Babi Assam (Pork in Tamarind Sauce)

Ingredients:
1 Kg pork belly – cut into thick slices

(A)
4 candlenuts )
80 gm shallots or 1 big onion ) grind together
1 tbsp shrimp paste )

2 tbsp tau cheo (preserved salted soy beans, ground)
30 gm tamarind – squeezed in 200 ml water and strained
1 tbsp sugar
salt
4 green chillies –slit lengthwise

Method:
1. Heat oil in wok and fry ground ingredients A until fragrant and coloured. Add preserved soy beans and stir over low heat for 5 mins.
2. Add in pork slices and tamarind water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour till pork is tender. About ½ hour into simmer, add green chillies. (if gravy is low while pork is simmering, add a little more water). Add sugar and salt and adjust seasoning.
Serve hot with rice.