BRAISED PORK WITH WATER CHESTNUTS

SERVES 8–12 AS PART OF A SHARED ASIAN BANQUET

You can replace the water chestnuts with bamboo shoots or lotus root if you like, or use some of all three for a different taste and texture experience.

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) oyster sauce

30 g (1 oz/¼ cup) grated palm sugar (jaggery)

1 fresh long red chilli, sliced into rounds

290 g (10¼ oz) tinned water chestnuts, drained and quartered

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) pork neck

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

steamed rice and Asian greens, to serve

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F/Gas 2–3).

Place the oyster sauce, palm sugar, chilli, water chestnuts and 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat then reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer until the sugar dissolves.

Place the pork neck in a deep casserole dish just large enough to hold the piece of pork and pour the oyster sauce mixture over the meat.

Cover with foil and bake for 2–3 hours, turning every half hour (you may need to add extra water if the liquid reduces too much). Remove the foil and cook for a further 20–30 minutes or until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced. Check the seasoning.

Slice the pork and serve with coconut or plain steamed rice and Asian greens.

NOTE: To make coconut rice, replace a quarter of the water needed for cooking with coconut milk.