红烧 (Hong Shao): Red-Braising Technique

Hong shao (red-braising — 紅燒) — the braising of meat in a combination of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and aromatics until the liquid reduces to a rich, glossy coating — is the most universally beloved Chinese cooking technique. Present in every regional tradition (though most developed in Shanghainese cooking), red-braising transforms cheap, collagen-rich cuts into some of Chinese cooking's most celebrated preparations: Dongpo pork, red-braised pork belly, red-braised fish.

The complete red-braising technique — its principles and its signature preparations.

• Japanese teriyaki (same soy-sugar glaze principle), Korean ganjang-based braising (same soy-sugar reduction principle), Vietnamese kho (same caramel-soy braising — fish or pork in clay pot)