| 
		Braised Pork with Plums | 
		
		Printer Friendly Copy | 
	 
	
		
		  | 
		
		  | 
		
		
			
				| Serves 4 | 
				Prep 25 mins | 
				Cooking 2h | 
				Easy | 
				  | 
			 
			
				|   | 
				+ marinating | 
				  | 
				My rating | 
				
				
				  | 
			 
			
				 
				Ingredients  | 
			 
		 
		 
		
			
				
				about 1.6kg/3lb 8oz pork shoulder  
				5 tbsp rice wine  
				5 tbsp light soy sauce for flavour  
				1 tbsp dark for colour  
				2 tbsp vegetable oil  
				bunch spring onions, finely sliced  
				2 star anise  
				1 ½ tsp five-spice powder  
				1 cinnamon stick  
				2 tbsp sugar  
				1 tbsp tomato purée  
				500ml chicken stock  
				6 ripe plums, halved and stoned
				 
				 | 
			 
		 
		 
		 | 
	 
	 
	
		  
			  
				  
 
				  
					  - 
					  
Cut the pork into big pieces 
					  about the length of your thumb and twice as wide. Put into 
					  a bowl or food bag, and add the wine, soy sauces. Marinate 
					  for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs.     
					   
					  - 
					  
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 
					  3, then heat the oil in a large casserole. Tip in half the 
					  spring onions, the star anise, five-spice powder and 
					  cinnamon. Fry gently until fragrant and soft. Stir in the 
					  sugar, turn up the heat, then lift the pork from the 
					  marinade and turn in the oniony mix for about 3 mins until 
					  the meat is just sealed but not browned. Tip in the 
					  marinade, tomato purée and stock, give it a stir, cover, 
					  then braise in the oven for 2 hrs. 
					   
					  - 
					  
After the first hr is up, add 
					  the plums to the pan. Take the lid off and carry on the 
					  cooking, uncovered. The meat should be completely tender, 
					  turning golden brown where it breaks the surface of the 
					  sauce. Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, then 
					  scoop the meat and plums carefully from the pan with a 
					  slotted spoon. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce for 
					  5-10 mins until reduced and slightly syrupy. Return 
					  everything to the pan, gently warm through, then scatter 
					  the rest of the spring onions over the top to serve.  
					   
				   
				   | 
			   
			   
			  
				   |