[Ingredients]
2kg pork belly
3tbsp coarse salt
2tbsp rice vinegar
30g shallot, peeled and cut into smaller pieces
40g galangal, peeled and cut into smaller pieces
15g turmeric, peeled and cut into smaller pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, remove outer layers and cut into smaller pieces
6 red chilli, deseeded
10 dried chilli, soaked
1tbsp coriander powder
1tbsp cumin powder
1tbsp fennel powder
1tbsp chilli powder
1tbsp salt
10 cardamom seeds
4 Kaffir lime leaves
50g palm sugar
250ml coconut cream
150g grated coconut
120ml oil
[Steps]
In a pan, stir-fry and toast coconut till brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
In a food processor, add in soaked dried chilli, red chilli, garlic, shallot, galangal, turmeric and lemongrass. Blend into a smooth paste.
In a pan, add in oil and stir-fry spice paste till fragrant.
Add in coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, chilli powder and cardamom seeds. Stir-fry till fragrant.
Followed by salt, lime leaves and palm sugar. Stir well.
Then, coconut, and lastly coconut cream. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Poke holes on the skin side of the pork belly, and insert skewers across the meat to keep it flat during roasting.
Sprinkle coarse salt over the skin of the pork belly and spread around evenly.
Flip over and spread rendang paste evenly around.
Cover the top with baking paper and place it skin-side up on a wire rack placed levelled over a baking tray.
Chill for 24hrs.
[Next day] Allow pork belly to rest till room temperature. Remove baking paper and roast at 200degC for 2hrs.
Remove pork from oven. Increase oven temperature to 250degC.
Brush rice vinegar onto the skin and roast at top rack with oven door open till the skin starts to char.
Scrape the charred bits off and cut pork belly into serving slices.
Adapted from The Meatmen Singapore