Have I already said mum's a great cook? She asked what we wanted to have for dinner and I mentioned that the pork belly had to consumed today...and this is what she presented at dinner time.

Mum's Caramelised Pork Belly with Taro

Ingredients:

Pork belly: 500 grams, cut into 1 x 1 inch squares

Spare Rib Sauce: 2 tablespoons

Chu Hou Sauce: 2 tablespoons

Preserved beancurd: 2 tablespoons

Sesame oil: 2 teaspoons

Dark soy: 6 tablespoons

Chinese rice wine: 2 tablespoons

Fresh coriander: 1/2 cup, chopped

Fresh chilli: 1 chopped finely

Sugar: 2 tablespoons or to taste

Salt & white pepper: to taste

Vegetable or peanut oil: 3 tablespoons

Taro: 1 medium size, peeled and sliced into 1 cm rounds

Preparation:

Blanch pork for a couple of minutes, rinse and then place in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.

Heat a wok, add oil and let it heat up before adding the pork. Fry the pork for about 5 minutes while stirring, then add the rest of the listed ingredients minus the coriander. Lower the heat, cover wok with a lid and let it cook for 15 minutes, stir the pork every few minutes. Sugar will help caramelise the pork but will also make it prone to burning...keep an eye on it while it's cooking.

In the meantime, steam taro rounds for 20-30 minutes until done. Poke with a fork to ensure doneness.

Taste a piece of pork to decide whether it's done to your taste. I like it slightly chewy but it's your call. Let it cook a few extra minutes to soften pork further. When pork is about done, stir taro through it, cook a few more minutes and sprinkle with coriander before serving.

Serve with rice. Plain, white, steamed rice is the best accompaniment to a rich braise like this one.