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Five Spice Eggs and Pork Belly Stew

A warm and comforting stew that combines tender pork belly and hard-boiled eggs simmered in a rich five-spice broth, creating a delightful meal for gatherings or chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Spices
  • 2 pcs cinnamon sticks (about 8 inches total)
  • 8 pcs cloves
  • 2 pcs star anise
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
For the Stew
  • 3 pcs cilantro roots or 10 cilantro stems
  • 1.5 lbs pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch chunks Look for good fat-to-meat ratio.
  • ½-1 tsp salt Adjust to taste.
  • 60 g palm sugar (⅓ cup packed) Brown sugar can be used as a substitute.
  • 5 cups unsalted pork or chicken stock
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce (or substitute soy sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2-3 tsp black soy sauce or dark soy sauce
  • ½ tsp white pepper, ground
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6-8 pcs eggs These should be hard-boiled.
  • 8 pcs tofu puffs, halved
  • servings Jasmine rice for serving Serving suggestion.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Toast the spices in a dry sauté pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Transfer the toasted spices to cheesecloth, tie it tightly to form a spice bag.
  3. In a heavy-bottomed pot, optionally sear the pork belly pieces until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
  4. Melt the palm sugar in the same pot over low heat and add stock to stop the cooking process.
  5. Stir in soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce, black/dark soy sauce, white pepper, garlic, and the spice bag. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cooking
  1. Add the pork belly back to the pot and let simmer uncovered for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally until the pork is very tender.
  2. Boil the eggs for about 8 minutes; cool in cold water before peeling.
  3. Add the peeled eggs and halved tofu puffs to the stew and simmer for another 8 minutes.
  4. Let the stew rest for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.

Notes

For a cleaner stew, remove the spice bag before serving. The dish tastes better the next day, making it great for meal prep.