Braised pork belly, Chinese-style (slow cooker).

I adapted this from a recipe on eatmanifesto.com. I didn't change it much, just adapted it for the slow cooker and for the amount of pork I happened to have. It was very easy to make, for the tastiness of the result. I'm not sure what to do with the leftover broth; it's very tasty, but I think I would die of salt if I just drank it (it is tempting though).

Makes 4 servings.

• 800g (1lb 12oz) pork belly (4 strips)
• 1 Tbsp salt, for rubbing
• 2 Tbsp peanut oil, for frying
• For the broth:
  • 2 Tbsp ginger puree from a jar
  • 1 cup (fairly concentrated) home-made chicken stock
  • 325ml (1.5 cups, 12floz) dry sherry
  • 150ml (5floz) soy sauce
  • 4 Tbsp dark brown soft sugar
  • 1.5 tsp five-spice powder
  • 2 Tbsp yellow bean sauce
  • 1.5 Tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 4 spring onions, topped and tailed but otherwise left whole

Rub the pork strips with the salt, and leave for an hour. Wash off all the salt, and pat the strips dry. Heat the peanut oil in a heavy frying pan, and cook the skin side until crispy.

Put everything else into the slow cooker and mix it about. Add the pork strips and cook on HIGH for 1.5 hours, then LOW for 5 hours.

To serve: Cook some noodles and put them in bowls. Remove pork strips from their broth and cut them into pieces; put these pieces on top of the noodles. Top with stir-fried vegetables and a few ladles of the broth (careful; it'll be salty).