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1
Blanch the pork belly in unsalted simmering water until just cooked through, then drain and allow to cool before slicing to 5 mm — leaving the water unsalted keeps the fat pliable and the surface clean so the curry paste will grip the meat rather than slide off it. The slices should be uniform and firm to the touch.
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2
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering, then add the red curry paste and fry, pressing and folding it continuously against the wok surface so the raw shrimp-paste and chilli character cooks out fully and the oil visibly separates and pools at the edges — the 'taek man' moment. This is where the dish lives or dies: in a coconut-milk-free application there is nothing to soften an under-fried paste, and the result will be harsh and sharp rather than deep and complex. The paste will darken slightly and the wok will fill with a rich, layered fragrance.
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3
Add the blanched pork belly slices and toss to coat each piece thoroughly in the fried paste, stir-frying over high heat so the meat colours in the paste itself rather than steaming in released liquid. No water or stock is added at any point, keeping the dish dry so the paste clings and concentrates on the pork rather than washing off into a sauce. The surfaces should be visibly coated and beginning to colour.
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4
Add the long beans and continue to stir-fry, then season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and palm sugar, tossing to distribute the seasoning evenly so every piece of pork and bean carries the same balance of salt, savour, and sweetness. Cook until the beans are just tender but retain clear textural resistance — they should not yield without pressure. Taste and adjust.
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5
In the final 30 seconds, add the kaffir lime leaf chiffonade — cut to strips of 1–2 mm so the leaves are tender and release their full perfume rather than remaining fibrous and bitter — and toss once to distribute. Remove from the heat immediately; residual wok heat is enough to open the fragrance without dulling it.