Twice-Cooked Pork

Bring a good panful of water to the boil. Add the sichuan peppercorn, green onion, ginger, pork belly, return to boil and then simmer at a gentler heat until just cooked – this should take 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork. Remove the pork from the water and allow to cool (don't forget that you can reserve the cooking water and add it to the stockpot). Place the meat in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or more to firm up the flesh – this makes it possible to slice it thinly without the fat and lean parts separating.

When the meat is completely cold, slice it thinly (⅓ inch thick) - ideally, each piece should be about 4 x 3 cm (1.5 x 1.2 inch) and should be half fat and half lean meat, with a strip of skin at the top.

Chop leeks diagonally at a steep angle into thin 'horse ear' slices.

Season the wok, then add 2 tablespoons of oil over a medium-hot flame, add the pork pieces and stir-fry until their fat has melted out and they are toasty and slightly curved. Add the chilli bean paste and stir-fry it for 20-30 seconds until the oil is richly red, then add fermented black soybean, sweet bean paste, soy sauce, cooking wine, and stir-fry for another few seconds until they too smell delicious. Mix everything in the wok together and add sugar.

Finally, add the leeks and stir and toss until they are just cooked.

Turn on to a serving dish and eat immediately.

1. Baby leeks can be replaced by green onions. 2. Don't overcook the meat.