Eel and pork belly hot pot

Serves 4

500g boned pork belly, cut into 2cm chunks with the rind on
1 eel weighing about 600-800g, filleted
1/2tbsp sesame oil
6 cloves of garlic peeled
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
A piece of root ginger weighing about 40g, scraped and shredded into matchstick-sized pieces
1 red chilli, sliced
1 litre chicken stock
4tbsp light soy sauce
1/2tsp Chinese five-spice powder
150g shiitake mushrooms, quartered and stalks removed (half the weight if using dried, soaked overnight)
1tbsp cornflour
1tbsp plain flour
1-2tbsp vegetable or corn oil for frying

To serve

4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced on the angle
200g small pak choi
A handful of coriander leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Lightly season the pieces of pork, place them on a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes or until they are crisp. Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and lightly fry the garlic, onions, ginger and chilli for a couple of minutes.

Drain any fat from the pork belly and add to the pan with the chicken stock, soy and five-spice powder. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about an hour or so until the pork is tender.

Add the shiitake mushrooms and continue simmering for another 15 minutes.

Mix the cornflour with a little cold water to form a thin paste and stir half of it into the simmering liquid, add more until it has a thick, gravy-like consistency.

Meanwhile, cut the eel into 3cm pieces, then lightly season and flour the pieces. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook the eel for 3-4 minutes on each side until crisp.

Trim the pak choi leaves and drop them into the hot pot along with the eel and spring onions and continue simmering for about 5-6 minutes.

If the sauce is becoming too thick, you can add a little water. Serve scattered with the sprigs of coriander.