Five-Spice Eggs and Pork Belly Stew ไข่พะโล้
An easy five-spice pork belly, egg and tofu puffs stew. The pork belly is tenderly braised and the hard boiled eggs super flavourful with all the spices. Perfect with jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Spice bag
- 2 cinnamon sticks (about 20cm total)
- 8 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp sichuan peppercorns
- 3 cilantro roots or 10 cilantro stems
- Use a spice bag if you can find one or just toss it in.
- You can also use the five spice powder if you want to make it easier. Just take 1 tbsp and add it to the broth add more to taste.
The Stew
- 600 gr pork belly, 3 cm chunks
- ½ tsp salt
- 60 gr Palm sugar
- 5 cups unsalted pork or chicken stock, 4 cups if using Instant Pot
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce, or sub soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2-3 tsp black soy sauce or dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp white pepper, ground
- 4 gloves garlic, crushed
- 6-8 eggs (as many as you like, about 1-2 per person)
- 8 tofu puffs, halved
- Jasmin Rice
Instructions
- Crush cinnamon sticks just until they break into smaller pieces, then add them to a dry saute pan along with star anise, cloves, coriander seed and Sichuan peppercorns.
- Toast over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the coriander seeds start to darken slightly. Remove from heat and place in the spice bag or set aside.
- Add cilantro stems or roots into the bag if you have it or just add them to the spices.
- Optional step for extra flavour if you have time: In a heavy-bottomed pot, add a little oil to coat the bottom then heat on high. Toss pork belly in ½ tsp salt, then sear until browned on at least two sides. Remove and set aside. Pour off any excess fat collected in the pot but do not wash the pot.
- In the same pot add palm sugar and melt over medium high heat. Once melted, keep stirring until it turns a dark caramel colour. Immediately add stock to stop the cooking; the sugar will harden, this is okay.
- Add soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce, black/dark soy sauce, white pepper, garlic and the spice bag. If you didn't sear the pork, add the ½ tsp salt at this stage.
- Add the pork and simmer gently for 2 - 2.5 hours, loosely covered, until the pork is fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the eggs in boiling water for 8 minutes. Once done place in a bowl of cold water to cool. Peel the eggs; be gentle as the yolks are still soft.
- Once pork is done, add eggs and tofu puffs and simmer another 8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Let the stew sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, and preferably one day in advance so the eggs can have a chance to absorb the flavour.
- Serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!