Ingredients
1.8kg boneless pork belly, thick end
2L boiling water
3 1/2 Tbsp salt flakes
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra 2 tsp
4 cups water
3 star anise
4-6 whole gem lettuces
8 green onions
1/3 cup short or long grain rice, cooked
3 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted and freshly ground
Thai basil leaves and fried round rice paper wrappers, to serve
DRESSING
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp caster sugar
2 Tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 1/2Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2Tbsp yuzu juice or lime juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
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Put pork on a rack in sink. Pat dry with paper towel, then slowly pour boiling water over skin. Pat pork dry and transfer to a board (skin will be supple and easy to score). Using a sharp knife, cut lines into skin about 1cm apart and no more than 1cm deep. Rub skin with 2 tablespoons of the salt flakes.
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Put on a rack and refrigerate on a tray, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. This will dry out skin and ensure great crackling.
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Preheat oven to 150°C fan-forced (170°C conventional). Wipe salt and any moisture from pork. Rub oil and remaining 11/2 tablespoons of salt flakes all over. Transfer to a rack in a roasting tin, skin-side up. Pour 4 cups of water and star anise into tray, don’t wet top layer of skin on pork. Roast for 11/2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure tray doesn’t dry out, as it keeps meat moist and stops dripping fat from burning.
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During last 30-40 minutes of roasting, increase oven to 230°C fan-forced (250°C conventional) to finish crackling skin. If skin is still not fully crispy by then, grill it for 5 minutes at end. Set pork aside for 5 minutes before slicing.
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Meanwhile, for the dressing, mix all ingredients together and set aside.
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Cut gem lettuces in half lengthways. Heat chargrill pan on high. Cook lettuce on open side only for about 2-3 minutes, set aside on a serving platter. Add onions to hot plate and grill for a couple of minutes to char. Remove and slice each onion into four on an angle and sprinkle over lettuce.
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Toss rice in extra olive oil. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Cook rice, tossing, for 5-6 minutes until toasted. Remove from pan and cool completely.
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Top lettuce with rice, dressing and sesame seeds. Serve pork belly slices with Thai basil leaves and puffed rice paper.