Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly

Ingredient tips: any brand of soy sauce and dark soy sauce works, but for a Taiwanese dish the author recommends the Taiwanese Kim Lam brand; crispy fried shallot is a popular Taiwanese ingredient that adds a different flavor than fresh shallots (or make your own); the boiled eggs simmer with the pork a long time so they're overcooked, which is how Taiwanese prefer it - skip them or add daikon radish if you like.

1. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 3-4 cups hot water for 20 minutes. 2) Use paper towels to dab the pork belly and absorb excess moisture. 3) Preheat the wok, add 4 Tbsps cooking oil, and pan-sear the pork belly skin side down over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown (use caution as the oil can splatter; you can put the lid partially on). 4) Flip and sear the meat side for just a minute; don't fry the meat side too long or it will dry out and become stringy. 5) Take the pork out, rest a few minutes, then slice into 2/3-inch-thick pieces; set aside. 6) Discard the used oil, add 1.5 Tbsps new oil along with 3 Tbsps sugar, and stir constantly over medium-low heat to caramelize. 7) As the sugar melts, turns to brown caramel, and suddenly bubbles, quickly toss in the minced garlic, ginger, and shallots; stir a couple minutes until fragrant. 8) Add the soy sauce and dark soy sauce and stir 2 minutes to mingle the seasonings. 9) Transfer everything into a clay pot (a stock pot, instant pot, or Dutch oven also works). 10) Add the crispy fried shallots, soaked shiitake mushrooms, Chinese cooking wine, and the boiled peeled eggs. 11) Use the mushroom-soaking liquid to rinse the wok and pour it into the pot. 12) Check the liquid level; add more water if needed so most of the ingredients are covered. 13) Bring to a boil, taste and adjust, then turn heat to the lowest and simmer 1.5 hours. 14) Serve with white rice and Chinese pickled long beans; the tartness balances the fattiness of the pork belly (skip or use other pickles if unavailable).