Winter Warmers- Aromatic Pork Belly in Broth

This should definitely help banish the winter blues, and cure any sniffles that are beginning as we make our way into the colder months. It's gutsy and warming, but still feels light and fresh. This recipe was concocted for the Irish Foodies Cookalong for November, the theme of which is Winter Warmers. The Cookalong is a lot of fun and a great way to showcase the brilliant Irish food bloggers.

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of whole pork belly, about 500g, skin on
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground all spice
• 1/4 tsp cumin seed
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 onion quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3/4 whole red chilli sliced
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 litre of chicken stock

1. Mix together the spices (ginger, chilli flakes etc.) with a splash of water to make a paste. Rub this all over the pork belly in the casserole dish. You can leave it at this stage for a few hours, overnight, or just go ahead with it now.

2. Preheat the oven to 170c. Add the soy sauce and star anise to the casserole, then cover the whole pork belly with chicken stock. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 2-2 1/2 hours, until the pork is meltingly tender and shreds easily with a fork.

3. Cook some noodles according to packet instructions, place in a bowl, and ladle some of the broth over the top. Top with some shredded pork, and garnish with chopped coriander and sliced fresh red chilli.

Enjoy!