The rule is that a sharp sauce is needed with pork to cut its fattiness. More important, I think, is the fact that the sauce should flatter the gamey notes of the meat. Apples do this well enough but gooseberries do it better, having more natural sharpness than any "cooking" apple. Plums and damsons flatter the flesh of the pork as well as the fat, and their fruity notes blend harmoniously with the pan juices.
The Chinese flavours here demand something other than potatoes as an accompaniment, so I go for some dark green cabbage, coarsely shredded the width of pappardelle and cooked in a very little water till bright emerald green. No butter, just vital, earthy greens to contrast with the richness of the meat and its sauce
ENOUGH FOR 4-6
a piece of pork belly about 1.5kgSzechuan peppercorns 2 tbsp
sea salt flakes 3 tbsp
ground anise 1 tsp
For the sauce:
sharp plums or damsons 900g
sugar 3 tbsp
water 120ml
fresh ginger a large knob about the size of a walnut, peeled and cut into matchsticks
star anise 4
salt ½ tsp
smooth red wine vinegar 2 tbsp
Put the pork in a shallow dish. Warm the Szechuan peppercorns in a non-stick pan till they start to crackle a bit, then remove from the heat. Grind together the salt, toasted peppercorns and the ground anise. Easiest with a pestle and mortar, but you can also do it with a plastic bag and a rolling pin. You want a fine, beige powder. Rub the spice mixture over the pork and its skin, cover lightly with greaseproof paper and set aside for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge. This is for the dry marinade to work its magic.
To make the sauce, put the plums or damsons into a colander and give them a good rinse under cold running water, pulling off any stalks and leaves as you go. Tip the fruit into a stainless steel saucepan (aluminium will taint sour fruits such as plums), add the sugar, water, ginger, anise and salt and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the fruit has burst and the sauce has thickened to a deep purple-red. Stir in the vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes more. Watch that it doesn't become too thick or catch on the bottom; it is inclined to get a bit jammy at this stage.
Put the sauce somewhere to cool or, if spitting out stones at the table really isn't your thing, sieve it first: tip it into a large sieve set over a bowl and push the fruit through with a wooden spoon. Keep going till all you have left is a few stones. Set aside; you can warm it up just before you serve the pork.
Roast the pork in an oven set at 200C/gas mark 6 for about an hour, basting occasionally. Leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving, and pass the sauce around at the table.
