Pork belly is a part of the pig that is normally made into bacon. It has risen to star status lately and you see it both cooked Asian-style and barbecue-style. Personally I prefer the Asian method. This is a fatty piece of meat, but it tastes delicious. Use pork butt as a substitute; it has much less fat, but it's not as juicy.

Serve the pork belly with plain rice, or freeze it to use in other ramen dishes. It makes a superb sandwich with Asian hot sauce, mayonnaise and a little cooking liquid stirred together then slathered on the bread. Try serving it cold as part of a salad or as a snack.

The long slow cooking method makes a succulent finished dish. I found pork belly at Asian stores and most butchers will get it for you if you ask.

1 piece of boneless belly pork, about 1 to 2 pound, or pork butt

Marinade:

½cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons seasoned rice- wine vinegar

¼ cup mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup water

4 slices ginger

2 whole cloves garlic

3 star anise

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 225 F.

Place pork belly, skin side up in an oven-proof casserole. Score skin with a sharp knife. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, water, ginger, garlic and star anise. Pour over pork belly. Liquid should come half way up pork.

Cover tightly and place in oven. Leave for 6 hours, checking occasionally and basting with liquid. When completely tender and practically falling apart, turn oven up to 500 F. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and salt and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until top is a golden brown colour and the skin is crisp.

Cool and cut into slices when needed.