Sek Bak literaly means cooked pork in Hokkien. This dish is normally cooked during Chinese New Year or during special occassion such as birthdays. Its best with complementary "Chilli Garam" - pound chilli mix with a dash of salt.
The secret recipe:
Sek Bak
(by kitchen flavours)
1 piece pork belly (about 1-1/2 kg)
4-6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
2 cinnamon stick (about 3" long)
5 star anise
6 cloves
8 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 piece galangal, about the size of a small tomato
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 cups water
2-3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce (to taste)
1 tablespoon sugar (to taste)
- Heat cooking oil in a wok or a large saucepan. Fry the shallots over medium heat till light brown. Turn down heat to low, add in the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and galangal. Stir for a about a minute till the spices are fragrant, taking care not to burn them. Add in water, bring to a boil.
- When the sauce has come to a boil, add in the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar. Stir and add in the pork belly pieces. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer, turning the pork belly every 20 minutes or so. After the first 30-40 minutes, add in the peeled hard-boiled eggs. Turn the eggs every now and then, taking care not break them. Add some warm water if the gravy appears dry. Taste and adjust accordingly, you may need a little more soy sauce or sugar.
- Simmer till the pork belly is tender and the gravy has reduced and thickened, about 1-1/2 hours.
- Let pork belly cool to room temperature, slice to thin pieces and pour some of the lovely thickened sauce over the sliced pork belly, with the eggs at the side. Sliced fresh cucumbers and some chili sauce is lovely with this dish. Delicious over white rice.
Enjoy your food.
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