Braised Pork Belly with Caramelized Onions and Garlic

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Cut 600g of pork belly into small pieces the size of chopstick tips. Finely chop 2 onions and 3 garlic cloves and set aside.
   ▶ ≈0:41
2. 2
   Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil to a pot and add 2 tbsp of sugar to caramelize it. Heat on medium, stirring constantly until the sugar turns golden, then reduce to low heat.
   ▶ ≈1:35
3. 3
   When the sugar turns deep golden brown and starts to bubble, add the chopped onions and garlic, stirring until fragrant.
   ▶ ≈2:07
4. 4
   Add all the pork pieces and gently stir to coat them evenly with the caramel sauce.
   ▶ ≈2:21
5. 5
   Turn up the heat and continue stirring until the meat turns brown with a slight caramelized aroma.
   ▶ ≈2:35
6. 6
   Turn off the heat and add 1 tbsp each of fish sauce, soy sauce, seasoning powder, sugar, chili paste, and black pepper powder.
   ▶ ≈2:50
7. 7
   Turn the heat back on and stir briefly to allow the seasonings to fully penetrate the meat.
   ▶ ≈3:15
8. 8
   Add water just enough to cover the meat and simmer on medium heat. The small meat pieces will quickly absorb the seasonings and become tender.
   ▶ ≈3:35
9. 9
   Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, then increase heat to high and stir constantly to create a thick, concentrated sauce that coats all the meat.
   ▶ ≈3:56
10. 10
    Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped onion, sliced chili, and a sprinkle of black pepper powder.
    ▶ ≈4:15