This is a real family favourite, and despite being Asian in flavour, it goes just as well on mashed potatoes as it does with steamed rice or noodles. Children love this dish and it fills the house with a warm, salty sweet fragrance that has everyone at the table early.

Ingredients

1.2-1.5kg pork shoulder or belly
6 cloves of garlic
1 large thumb size piece of ginger
7 carrots
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
3 tablespoons light soy
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup chicken or pork stock
½ teaspoon white pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celcius
2. Peel the garlic and ginger. Cut the ginger into 4-5 pieces and cut the garlic cloves in half.
3. Cut the carrots into chunks about 2-3cm in diameter.
4. In a large casserole dish or Dutch oven that has a well-fitting lid, combine the garlic, ginger carrot, star anise, cinnamon, five spice, soy, honey, pork stock and white pepper. Place on the stove and bring to the boil.
5. Score the pork skin and fat and then cut into pieces about 2-3cm wide.
6. Place the pork skin side up in the sauce.
7. Place the lid on and put the dish in the oven and cook for 1 ½-2 hours until the pork is tender and sauce reduced. Remove the dish from the oven and take out the cinnamon stick, star anise pieces and ginger.
8. Turn the oven up to 200 degrees. Cook lid off for 20-30 minutes until the skin is crisp and crackling.
9. Remove dish from the oven and serve over steamed basmati rice and light greens such as salad leaves or chunks of cucumber.