Watermelon Syrup-Glazed Pork With Charred Watermelon and Wood Ear Mushrooms

Pork belly cubes glazed in a reduced watermelon juice syrup, dark soy, and brown sugar, served with pan-seared watermelon and a crunchy bed of wood ear mushrooms, bamboo, and bok choy.

Ingredients

  • 800 g fresh pork belly
  • 1 piece small whole watermelon (about 2.5 kg)
  • 15 g dried wood ear mushrooms
  • 150 g canned bamboo shoots, drained
  • 2 pieces bok choy
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • 30 g fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 40 g brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • to taste fine salt

Method

  1. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in a large bowl of hot water throughout the preparation.
  2. Cut the watermelon: chop half into pieces and blend it, then pass the juice through a sieve. Pour this juice into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until you obtain a light syrup. Set aside.
  3. From the remaining watermelon, cut 4 beautiful finger-thick wedges, then cut the rest into even cubes. Keep everything refrigerated, separately.
  4. Cut the pork belly into large cubes and plunge them into a pot of boiling water for a few minutes to degrease and clean the meat. Drain and dry thoroughly.
  5. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet and sear the pork cubes on all sides until nicely browned. Add the julienned ginger and crushed garlic, and sauté for one minute.
  6. Pour in the reduced watermelon syrup, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Cover and braise over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender.
  7. Remove the lid and continue cooking over medium heat: the liquid should transform into a glossy glaze that coats each cube of pork. Watch closely and stir often at this stage to avoid burning the sugar.
  8. During the glazing, stir-fry the bamboo shoots, drained wood ear mushrooms, and halved bok choy with the thinly sliced whites of the scallions over high heat in another skillet. Season lightly with salt.
  9. In a very hot, dry skillet, sear the watermelon wedges for one minute on each side until distinct caramel marks appear.
  10. Toss the fresh watermelon cubes with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
  11. To plate: a bed of sautéed vegetables, the glazed pork on top, a charred watermelon wedge on the side, and a few fresh vinegar-tossed cubes. Scatter with the scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
558.7 kcal
Protein
39.25 g
Carbohydrate
16.97 g
Fat
37.23 g
Fibre
2.56 g
Calcium
46.52 mg
Iron
1.68 mg
Magnesium
54.72 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.