Chinese Roast Pork

Chinese Roast Pork, a staple that should be in any budding Chinese cook's repertoire. Here is my take on the infamous mouth watering dinner treat.  Serves 4.

You will need to begin this recipe one day in advance. Trust me! It is well worth the time invested.

What you need:

Pork belly (skin scored - ask your local butcher to prepare the pork belly for roasting)

Sea salt

2 tablespoon five spice powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

How to:

1. Rub and massage sea salt into the pork belly skin. Wrap with plastic wrap and marinade overnight in the fridge. The objective of this exercise is to draw up all moisture and will result in crispy pork crackling.

2. Next morning, take pork out of the fridge and pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Rub and massage more sea salt into the pork belly skin. Rub five spice powder on pork. Wrap with plastic wrap and return pork in the fridge to marinade for another 5-6 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Remove pork from fridge and pat skin dry with a paper towel once again. Run and massage more sea salt into the pork belly and rub skin generously with olive oil.

4. Place pork belly on a roasting tray and roast in pre-heated oven for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes or until cooked. 

5. Rest pork for 10 minutes before serving.