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1
Place the pork belly chunks in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. The flesh should be just opaque at the surface.
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2
Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the rock sugar and stir continuously for approximately 5 minutes until the sugar has fully melted and turned to a deep, dark amber caramel — one step before bitter. This is where the dish lives or dies: a pale caramel yields sweetness without complexity; only a distinctly dark amber caramel produces the bittersweet depth that defines the Hunan preparation.
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3
Add the blanched pork chunks to the caramel. The pork should hiss and bubble vigorously on contact. Toss to coat every surface in the caramel.
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4
Pour in the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce. Add the dried chillies, ginger slices, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Add enough water to just cover the pork. The liquid should be a deep, reddish-brown.
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5
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and braise for 1 hour. The pork should be tender throughout when probed with a chopstick.
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6
Remove the lid. Raise the heat to medium and continue cooking for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy coat that clings to each pork chunk. The surface of the pork should be lacquered and visibly shining.