Crispy Skin Pork with Black Vinegar Salad with Roasted Peanuts.

Ingredients

• AIR FRIED PORK BELLY
• 1 kg pork belly with skin
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 cup rock salt
• BLACK VINEGAR DRESSING
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tbsp Kewpie Japanese dressing sesame soy
• 2 tsp peanut oil
• large handful of coriander leaves
• 1 cup raw peanuts, for air frying
• SWEET XO DIPPING SAUCE
• 1 - 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Xo sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 80 mls water

Method

1. Prepare the pork belly for air frying. Rinse and pat dry the pork belly with paper towels so that it is really dry.
2. Lay the pork skin facing down and meat facing up. Rub shaoxing wine all over the pork meat and sides (not skin). Similarly, rub Chinese five spice and white pepper all over the meat.
3. Turn the skin side up and pat dry again. Use a meat skewer to prick multiple tiny holes all over the skin. Avoid pricking the meat itself.
4. Place pork belly on a tray with skin side up and refrigerate uncovered for 18-24 hours.
5. Air fry the peanuts anytime in the 24 hours while waiting. Preheat the air fryer at 200 C for 3 minutes. Pour peanuts in air fryer basket.
6. Air fry for 6-8 minutes till dark and not doughy. Keep an eye to make sure they do not get scorched which can happen quickly. Remove the skin and store in an air tight container.
7. When ready to cook pork (after 18-24 hours), remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour prior to air frying.
8. Preheat the air fryer at 150 C. Pat dry the pork skin with paper towel one last time. Place the pork onto a very large sheet of aluminium foil and fold up sides of pork. Transfer pork to a baking sheet lined tin.
9. Spread rock salt on top of pork skin. Air fry for 30 minutes.
10. Remove pork from air fryer and discard rock salt and aluminium foil. Place in centre of foiled lined baking tray. Return to air fryer and cook for another 25 minutes at 200 C.
11. When finished cooking, remove the pork and let rest on a chopping board. While the pork is resting, prepare the sweet Xo sauce. crushed roasted air fried peanuts and black vinegar dressing.
12. Instead of sweet chilli sauce, I like to make sweet Xo sauce for dipping. Combine sugar and water together and dissolve. Mix with Lee Kum Kee Xo sauce and pour into a small bowl for each person.
13. Put the air fried peanuts in a blender and crush for 1 minute.
14. When ready to serve, cut the pork belly into 2 cm cubes. Mix the sliced red onion, spring onion, Chinese black vinegar, peanut oil and Kewpie Japanese sesame soy dressing together. Toss with the pork pieces and coriander leaves until well mixed.
15. Serve on a serving platter with a generous sprinkling of crushed air fried peanuts. Accompany with the sweet Xo dipping sauce.

Product used in recipe

• Kewpie - Kewpie Japanese Dressing Sesame Soy
• Lee Kum Kee - Xo Seafood Sauce