Recipe: Phuket pork belly stew
The key with this dish is to simmer the pork belly until it is fall-apart tender

Pork belly is one of my all-time favourite cuts of meat, says Dan Toombs: when cooked right, it is wonderfully tender and juicy. The key with this dish is to simmer the pork belly until it is fall-apart tender; otherwise it will be chewy and a bit of a let-down. The long simmering time also adds to the amazing flavour. This dish is great served with jasmine rice.
Serves 4-6
- 8 garlic cloves
- 10 coriander stalks
- 1 generous tbsp of black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1kg pork belly, cut into bite-size chunks
- 5cm piece of cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce*
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce*
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce* (*many soy and oyster sauces contain gluten, but there are gluten-free brands available)
- 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
- 6 tbsp finely chopped coriander
Method
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- Put the garlic, coriander stalks and black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and pound to a paste. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, toss in the pork belly cubes and brown on all sides. This should take about 5 minutes, but you might need to do this in batches. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
- Add the cinnamon stick and star anise to the remaining oil in the pan and let the spices infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds. Return the meat to the pan and add the sugar, soy sauces and the oyster sauce.
- Stir well until the sugar dissolves and then add the Chinese rice wine, the prepared paste and just enough water to cover the meat.
- Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the pork is fall-apart tender. You might need to top up with a little water from time to time.
- When the pork is ready, taste and adjust the flavours as necessary, then stir in the chopped coriander and serve.
Taken from The Curry Guy Thai by Dan Toombs, published by Quadrille at £15. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £11.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
The tourist flood in the Mediterranean: can it be stemmed?
Talking Point Finger-pointing at Airbnb or hotel owners obscures the root cause of overtourism in holiday hotspots: unmanageable demand
-
Thai fish pie with crispy turmeric potatoes recipe
The Week Recommends Tasty twist on the Lancashire hot pot is given a golden glow
-
8 recipes that require minimal effort for the best kind of summer eating
The Week Recommends It's the season of grilling and smart desserts
-
Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipe
The Week Recommends Plump, creamy beans in a sweet, spicy sauce
-
Grilled radicchio with caper and anchovy sauce recipe
The Week Recommends Smoky twist on classic Italian flavours is perfect to grill, drizzle and devour
-
These 8 superb cocktails welcome summer with open arms
The Week Recommends Everything required to get you through warm — or sweltering — weather
-
Green bean, almond and peach salad recipe
The Week Recommends Thomas Straker's fresh dish is summer in a bowl
-
Green goddess salad recipe
The Week Recommends Avocado can be the creamy star of the show in this fresh, sharp salad
-
Bomee Ki's Kugelhopf madeleines recipe
The Week Recommends Fluffy, sweet sponge cakes with a zesty, rum twist