'Special' Pork Fried Rice Recipe

Servings: 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup of white rice
8 ounces pork belly, cubed and marinated in Chinatown Sauce (see below)
1 scallion, sliced
1/2 cup broccoli florets, blanched and chopped
1 egg crepe, diced
1 pinch of pickled ginger, chopped
1 pinch of chili flakes
1 tablespoon Kernels Ontario Red Skin Peanuts
6 tablespoons canola oil

for the Chinatown Sauce:
4 cups hoisin sauce
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons five-spice powder
2 cups soy sauce
3 cups rice wine vinegar
1 cup sesame oil
20 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bunch scallions, chopped

Directions

1. For the pork belly: Combine all ingredients for the Chinatown Sauce marinade and stir until sugar is dissolved. Score the pork belly skin and pour the sauce over the meat. Marinate in sauce for 3 days before roasting on a bed of sliced onions at 160º C (325° F) till it's cooked through. Discard skin. Cool meat and cube.

2. For the rice: Begin by making the rice in a rice cooker, as you would. When the button pops up, it's done.

3. Now is when things get really special. Take your rice and spread it out evenly on a baking tray. Put it in your fridge and allow it to cool. When cooled, remove from fridge and place in front of a fan. This is to dry out the rice again. It is important during this step that you agitate the rice regularly, to allow it to dry evenly on all sides. BUT DO NOT OVER-DRY THE RICE! If you do, you may crack a tooth after it's fried, so don't do that. That would be bad, and not so special.

4. Get your frying pan screaming hot, and add in 2 tbsp of canola oil. Drop in your cubed pork belly and sear. Sprinkle a little seasoning on there, too. You're looking for that perfectly caramelized, brown goodness on the pork. Once you think you've got it, push it to the side of the frying pan, and add another 2 tbsp of canola oil.

5. Now sprinkle your rice into the pan. Break up the bits that have clumped together and try to get the rice to form into a sheet with the pork cubes all mixed up in it. You're looking for that ever-so-important caramelization on the rice. If you notice the rice has absorbed all of the canola oil and is a little drier than you think it should be, add the last 2 tbsp of the oil—but only if you think it needs it.

6. Once you think you've got the first side fried right, flip it around and do it to the other sides of the rice. When you've got it on that side too, then mix in the scallion, broccoli florets, pickled ginger, and chili flakes, and cook until the broccoli is nice and hot.

7. Once it's done, pour it into a big bowl and be sure to heap it up. Sprinkle it with peanuts, more scallion, and diced egg crepe, and add a good squirt of delicious Chinese BBQ sauce.

8. Then you're going to eat it. Slowly. Don't rush this special pork fried rice—savour every last special bite.

From My Fatty, Crispy Love Affair with Fried Rice