“This is a classic recipe from my archives, I used to make it in the early 2000s,” Sid Sahrawat of Sidart restaurant says. “Our daughter Zoya loves this simple pork belly dish. It does need to be started two days ahead of time so that the pork belly makes a perfect roll and the masterstock develops flavours. Given the time we all have on our hands now we can try recipes that have elements that need forward planning. I do hope you enjoy this cool weather family favourite for dinner.”

Pork Belly with Masterstock, Asian Greens and Pear
Serves 4

Ingredients
1kg pork belly, skin on deboned
150ml Soy sauce
200ml Shaoxing wine
1¼ ltr Chicken stock
100g Brown sugar
6 cloves Garlic
1 Orange, zest only, or use the zest of 2 mandarins
10 Star anise
1 Cinnamon stick, or 2 cassia barks
1tsp Szechuan peppercorn
6cm Ginger, peeled and julienned
4 baby bok choy/ pak choy
1 packham pear
50 g pickled ginger
Sea salt
Olive oil

For the Pork belly
1. Start the pork belly 48 hours in advance. Roll the belly, skin side out, as tight as possible, into a roll and tie with kitchen string. Place belly in a slow cooker, add warmed masterstock to it, ensuring that the pork belly is fully submerged into the stock. Cook on low for 6 hours.
NOTE : If you do not have a slow cooker place belly in a stock pot and cover with masterstock. Place a round of baking paper on top of the submerged pork and cook with lid on, on the lowest heat setting for 3–4 hours. Keep checking on the meat, it should be really tender.
2. Gently remove the pork from the stock. 
3. Strain and reserve remaining stock for later use. 
4. Place on a resting rack to cool for 30 minutes. 
5. Roll pork gently into cling film ensuring there are no air pockets. 
6. Next roll the pork belly in tin foil. 7. Leave the pork belly in the fridge for a day.

For the Masterstock
1. Place all the ingredients in a stock pot, bring to a boil.
2. Boil for two to three minutes then turn the heat down to allow the stock to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 
3. Turn off heat and cool if storing.

To serve
1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees on fan grill. 
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 
3. Remove covering from pork belly and gently cut kitchen strings. You should have a perfectly rolled belly that keeps its shape. 
4. In a stock pot reduce leftover masterstock on medium heat until its a thick sauce.
5. Slice the pork belly into 2 inch slices for individual servings. Place the pork belly slices on the prepared roasting tray. 
6. Season with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil and roast for 15 minutes or until pork is soft and the skin is slightly caramelised. 
7. Blanch the bok choy in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Set aside.
8. Dice the pear and mix with pickled ginger in a bowl.
9. To serve, place a slice of pork belly in the centre of each bowl. 
10. Place the bok choy on top of the pork. 
11. Pour 2 tablespoons of reduced masterstock on each belly. 
12. Garnish with pickled ginger and pear. Serve any remaining stock in a sauce jug on the side.